Florida weather is pretty unpredictable, with uncomfortable heat and humidity one minute followed by heavy downpours the next. But something we certainly couldn’t have predicted is a slightly cooler forecast compared to Florida’s northern neighbors.
As a heat wave continues to scorch much of the eastern U.S. into the weekend, temperatures in Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are rising even higher than parts of Florida. Many are seeing temperatures well into the 90s, while others could soar up to 100 degrees, according to AccuWeather.
Record-high temperatures were shattered or tied this week in cities like Boston (98°), Chicago (97°), Cleveland (92°), Hartford (97°) and Scranton (94°). The National Weather Service office in Caribou, Maine even issued its first-ever Excessive Heat Warning on Wednesday for a scorching 96 degrees.
These warmer-than-average temps also include New York, which is hotter than the Sunshine State this week, hitting above 90 degrees. Buffalo, Albany and Syracuse all tied their daily records at 90, 94 and 95 degrees respectively.
As for Florida, the panhandle and central region are getting temps of 90 and above, while Southwest and South Florida experience numbers in the mid to upper 80s. Temperatures like these aren’t anything the state isn’t used to, but for those who haven’t adjusted to such warmth — especially when heat indexes could make temperatures feel more like 100° — it could be quite dangerous.
Meteorologists say that what the East Coast is experiencing is a heat dome, which, according to The American Meteorological Society, is an “exceptionally hot air mass that develops when high pressure aloft prevents warm air below from rising.” This produces hotter conditions the longer the heat dome stays in one place.
If you’re looking to beat the heat, break out the sunscreen and check out one of these rooftop pools or hotel pools — and be sure to check out all the best things to do this summer in Miami!