ORLANDO, Fla. – Summers in Central Florida come with plenty of humid heat and, like clockwork, daily afternoon storms.
But lately, it seems like it’s been hotter and stormier than normal.
That’s because it has been.
Here’s why.
Why does it feel so much hotter this summer?
During a typical summer, there is a big ridge of high pressure over the Atlantic called the “Bermuda High,” which tends to stretch into Florida. This year, though, the ridge has been weaker, limiting its ability to block other weather systems to control our weather.
Lately, our weather has been controlled by a weak front stalled to our north, or a large “heat dome” over the Gulf of Mexico.
Both of these features promote westerly winds across Florida, strengthening the west coast sea breeze. A stubborn west coast breeze heats east Central Florida more than normal. This is why temperatures have been running 5-8 degrees above normal most of the summer.
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Why are our afternoon storms lasting later in the evening?
Along with higher temperatures, the west coast sea breeze also enhances storm coverage for east Central Florida.
During the summer, the collision of the east and west coast sea breezes dictates where strong storms develop.
When the breeze is dominant from the west, it pushes all the rain to the opposite coast, making it stormy later into the evening.
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Why have the nights been warmer and muggier lately?
During the evening and overnight hours, temperatures have remained warm, with some areas along the coast staying in the upper 70s.
One big reason why this is happening is because our ocean temperatures are running several degrees above normal.
During the evening, the breeze moves in off the ocean, which works to cool the land. The problem is that the warmer ocean is causing the breeze to be warmer, too, lessening its ability to cool nearby land areas at night.