Why isn’t Central Florida breaking records if it’s so hot?

1 year ago 438

Soupy air limits actual air temperatures

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s been a very hot summer, but we haven’t seen too many high-temperature records set to date. Why is that?

You’ve heard the saying, “It’s not the heat it’s the humidity” right?

OK, it’s hot too with actual air temperatures surging into the upper 90s in the afternoon, but the reason for not seeing widespread high temperature records broken in this heat is all because of the humidity.

When there is added moisture, it becomes harder for the air to heat up. If the air was drier and the state wasn’t surrounded by the ocean, Florida would likely be threatening actual air temperature records at a higher frequency.

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In this case, with the humidity involved, we are dealing with the excessively high heat index, greater than 110 degrees.

The added humidity makes it dangerous to be outside for long periods of time.

We are much more likely to break warm overnight low temperatures in this scenario because like with heating in the afternoon, air doesn’t cool as fast when there is extra moisture in the atmosphere.

This is why there are large diurnal temperature swings in the drier Desert Southwest compared to a typically more humid location such as Florida.

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