South Florida is baking under a punishing stretch of summer heat, with a heat advisory in effect for Miami-Dade and Broward counties on Thursday from late morning through the early evening. Forecasters warned that feels like temperatures could climb as high as 110 degrees, creating widespread heat related health risks across the region.
The heat began before sunrise. Temperatures in the pre dawn hours already felt like the 90s, and afternoon highs are expected to reach the mid 90s with light winds offering little relief. Combined with the region’s heavy summer humidity, the result is a heat index deep into the triple digits.
Health officials are urging residents to take the conditions seriously. Hydrate early and often throughout the day, wear light colored and loose fitting clothing, limit strenuous outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, and check on elderly neighbors, young children, and anyone without reliable air conditioning. Never leave children or pets in parked vehicles, where interior temperatures can turn deadly within minutes.
Adding to the discomfort is a plume of Saharan dust drifting across South Florida, which has kept rain chances slim and skies hazy. The dust suppresses the afternoon thunderstorms that normally provide a brief cooling break in July, leaving the region hot and dry.
Some relief may arrive Friday, when a disturbance moving through the Bahamas is expected to bring roughly a 40 percent chance of scattered showers and storms from late morning into midday, with another round possible late Friday night into early Saturday. Forecasters describe those as the best rain chances over the next week.
The break is likely to be short lived. Another batch of Saharan dust is expected to arrive over the weekend, returning South Florida to a dry pattern. Heat index values are forecast to remain well into the triple digits through the weekend and into next week, with air temperatures hovering in the lower to mid 90s.
For residents accustomed to summer in the subtropics, this stretch stands out. Officials continue to monitor conditions and advise the public to plan outdoor activities for the early morning or evening hours, and to seek air conditioned spaces whenever possible.
