Tampa Bay sees record-breaking heat to start July
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If the first week of July felt especially hot in Tampa Bay, well, that's because it was.
What's happening: July's average temperature of 87.3°F, has been about three degrees warmer than usual, National Weather Service Tampa Bay meteorologist Rodney Wynn told Axios.
- July 4 set a record-high temperature of 97° in Tampa, up from the previous record of 96° in 1998. The NWS began keeping records in 1890.
- The next day, the Sarasota-Bradenton area hit 99°, also breaking its previous record by one degree.
The big picture: The high temperatures locally come after the hottest June on record globally, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports. The globe also set daily records on July 3 and 4.
- June was a reflection of an El Niño event in the tropical Pacific Ocean that's amplifying the pace of human-caused climate change.
Zoom in: That wasn't the case for Tampa Bay, Wynn said. Last month marked the 12th warmest June in Tampa and the fifth warmest in Sarasota-Bradenton, according to NWS data.
- Plant City was the closest to all-time heat, with June tied for the second warmest month for the inland city.
- St. Pete, on the other hand, experienced slightly cooler temperatures than usual.
Yes, but: July is heating up, thanks to a ridge of high pressure sitting on top of us, Wynn said, creating a stagnant weather pattern. A dome of heat is resting overhead and keeping any cooler air from coming in from the north, he said.
What's next: The heat won't be letting up this week. High temperatures are projected for the mid-90s through at least the middle of the week, several degrees higher than the average 91°.
- "There's really no relief in the near future," he said.
Stay safe: More than 600 people per year in the U.S. are killed by extreme heat, according to the CDC. Here are some tips to stay safe.
- Stay indoors in air conditioning as much as possible.
- Limit outdoor activities to the coolest parts of the day, usually the mornings and evenings.
- When exercising outdoors, pace yourself. And if you start to feel your heart pounding and shortness of breath, stop and get into a cool area.
- Wear sunscreen. Sunburns can cause dehydration.
- Keep yourself, and your pets, hydrated.