ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — If you're outside this week you need to take the heat seriously. So far in June temperatures in Tampa have been running a little below average and our longest stretch of 90-degree weather this year has been only three days which is a bit unusual.
This week nature makes up for lost time with temperatures topping 90 throughout the entire week. You can expect highs in the lower-to-middle 90s. This is due to an onshore flow keeping the storm zone in eastern Florida along with stalled frontal boundaries to our north.
We will also be on the drier side of a developing heat wave in Texas. Thunderstorms in Florida need lift, moisture and instability to form. While we have plenty of humidity at the surface and it's "air you can wear" this is not the case in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere — these conditions are keeping thunderstorm formation here to a minimum. Check out the drier air on the water vapor imagery below.
The hottest weather so far in Tampa was 94 degrees back on May 20. But this stretch of weather is expected to feel much warmer due to high dew points in the lower to middle 70s.
Dew points are the true measure of humidity meteorologists like to use to give us a good idea of how it actually feels outside. This is known as the heat index. The heat index, or apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when humidity is combined with the air temperature.
Temperatures are forecast to be in the lower to middle 90s but when you factor in the dew point or true humidity it will feel much warmer and feel close to 105 degrees at times by mid to late week, especially over areas of eastern Pasco, Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties. This means we have to use extreme caution if we are using a lot of physical exertion while outdoors for long periods of time.
The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Today, people should:
- Stay hydrated
- Stay inside as much as possible; take frequent breaks
- Wear lightweight, lightly colored clothing
- Take it easy
Be sure to check up on relatives, neighbors and the elderly. Young children and pets should never be left outside for long periods of time and unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is also the time to know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
If you think you or someone you know may be experiencing heatstroke, call 911 immediately.
