Central Florida weather forecast: hot and hotter
Beware the risks as the heat index breaks 100 degrees
Between thunderstorms, hurricanes and even tornadoes, Central Florida residents have to keep their cool despite some extreme weather conditions. Just stepping outside the front door reveals a fearsome phenomenon: Florida’s summer heat.
Temperatures at 1:16 p.m. Tuesday at Orlando International Airport reached 93 degrees — with a heat index of up to 100 degrees — according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
In the past week, hot weather led to the death of a dog trapped in a hot car in Daytona Beach. It also contributed to bacteria growth that shut down public access to Apopka’s Rock Springs Run.
The public can expect similar conditions throughout the week, with heat indexes hovering between 100 and 105 degrees, said weather service meteorologist Derrick Weitlich.
According to the Climate Prediction Center, Florida has a 50 percent to 60 percent likelihood of experiencing higher-than-typical temperatures through September.
While Weitlich says current conditions are “very typical for this time of year,” they can still be
dangerous.
Children and elderly people, as well as chronically ill individuals, are especially vulnerable to heatassociated medical issues, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Bailey Gibson, 20, of Orlando, said she thought this summer had been unbearably hot. As she walked Tuesday afternoon around Lake Eola in a white peasant-style blouse, she compared the climate in Central Florida to her native Destin in the Panhandle.
“It’s honestly a little bit hotter here because we don’t have the sea breeze coming in,” said Gibson, who attends Seminole State College of Florida.
People should check in with their neighbors and help individuals with heat stroke and exhaustion cool down inside, said Dr. Kevin Sherin, director of the health department in Orange County.
So how can residents keep cool — and stay safe — as Mother Nature turns up the heat this summer?
First, seek an air-conditioned place if you’re prone to becoming ill when it’s hot out, said department of health spokesman Kent Donahue.
People who must work or exercise outside should be careful not to over-exert themselves and should drink plenty of water.
Also, keep your pets and kids with you while you’re out; leaving them in the car can be hazardous, Donahue said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vehicle temperatures can rise about 20 degrees in 10 minutes.
As residents try to beat the heat, local energy use has increased, according to Orlando Utilities Commission spokesman Tim Trudell. Air conditioning accounts for at least 50 percent of the energy a home uses during the summer.
To avoid alarming charges on next month’s bill, citizens should “keep an eye on that thermostat,” Trudell said. Lowering a home’s temperature below 78 degrees increases air conditioning costs significantly — 6 percent to 8 percent per degree.
Thunderstorms can help cool things off naturally, slashing utility bills.
“When [it] doesn’t rain in [the] afternoon, that’s when you get your really high levels of energy use,” Trudell said.
Cloudy skies provided a break from the heat late Tuesday afternoon, prompting Alexis Knightly and James Fedas to take Caymus, the golden-haired pooch they were pet sitting, out for a walk.
Knightly says she’s gotten used to Orlando’s weather: “It’s better than snow.”
“It’s honestly a little bit hotter here because we don’t have the sea breeze coming in.” Bailey Gibson, 20, of Orlando