Summer has arrived early in South Florida as we've not only experienced the warmest temperatures of the year this week but also witnessed records being broken left and right.
This is all thanks to a strong south and southwest wind. Combine that with the warm waters of the Florida Straits and Atlantic, and you get some record-breaking temperatures.
The record-breaking temperatures began trickling in as early as Monday, with Key West and Fort Lauderdale setting new record warm lows, which essentially signifies a record for how warm morning temperatures are.
Key West, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale set new record warm lows, with only Fort Lauderdale setting a record, topping out at 94 degrees.
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Wednesday marked the hottest day of the week, with the most morning and afternoon records being set.
Key West reached 92 degrees, with Fort Lauderdale and Miami soaring to 96 degrees, nearly ten degrees above average. Feels like temperatures soared above 100 degrees.
It's expected that Key West, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale will set new record highs again on Thursday, with similar numbers to the ones we saw on Wednesday.
Local
It appears that these three cities have already set new record warm lows, with all three only dipping to 83 degrees.
For the second day in a row, Key West will be poised to get in the record books with a steamy high of 91 degrees. This would best the current record high of 90 degrees.
This also comes a day after Key West endured a “feels like” reading of 115 degrees.
While widespread activity is not expected, a stray thunderstorm remains in the forecast Thursday, with an isolated risk of a severe storm in the afternoon.
What's next?
This brutal heatwave pattern is anticipated to persist into the weekend.
After today, storm chances decline into the weekend as high pressure moves overhead, locking in the oppressive heat.
As a reminder, peak heat occurs around lunchtime and persists through the late afternoon.
If you must be out in the heat, take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.
While water is the best choice, avoiding soda and caffeine will help your body cope better with the extreme temperatures.
Wearing loose-fitting, light-colored clothing is another option to help, especially if you need to be outside.
Outdoor activities closer to sunset at 8:01 p.m., will be a bit more comfortable than contending with the mid-afternoon sunshine.
Get the latest South Florida weather updates from the NBC6 meteorologists.
