ORLANDO, Fla. – If you thought it has been hotter than a typical Florida summer of late, you would be correct. The period between Aug. 7 and Aug. 13 is now the hottest seven-day stretch on record for the Orlando area.
Record keeping goes back to 1892.
Over the seven-day period in Orlando, the mean average temperature, taking the highs and lows from each day and averaging them together, was 88.9 degrees.
This breaks the previous mean average temperature of 87.4 set back in August 1987.
The stretch saw six consecutive days with an afternoon high temperature of 98 degrees or higher. Five of those days set new high-temperature records, including Orlando’s first 100-degree day since 2015.
That stretch of 98 degrees or higher is tied for the second longest streak on record, second only to the eight consecutive days in 1927. There were stretches of six consecutive days of 90 degrees or hotter in June of 1998, June of 1921, and June of 1907.
Most of the hottest stretches on record occur early in the summer, before the richest humidity. The fact Central Florida strung together these hot days in August with the high humidity, makes the streak even more impressive.
From an average high temperature perspective, it was 6.5 degrees above normal. It was nearly 6 degrees above normal for overnight lows and was 5.5 degrees above normal for the mean average temperature.
It was also the hottest week on record for Daytona Beach and Sanford. Leesburg saw its second hottest week while it was the fourth hottest for Melbourne.
Orlando is also on pace to shatter records for the hottest August on record.
The expansive upper-level high pressure system responsible for baking Florida, also kept a good portion of Central Florida dry. Areas along the I-4 corridor are running more than 2 inches below normal for August.
Melbourne and Leesburg also running below normal in the rainfall department for the month.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: