Fall officially began three weeks ago, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it in Florida this week. Not even close! Whatever that was over the weekend – those refreshing nights in the northern half of the state – must have been just a tease.
Six record highs were tied or broken Monday from Jacksonville to Fort Myers. Afternoon highs were in the lower 90’s across these areas, which were running 5 to 10 degrees above normal.
Several other cities in central Florida came within one or two degrees of tying their record highs, including Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Sarasota. Other areas, such as the panhandle and portions of South Florida, also experienced afternoon temperatures running about five degrees above normal.
The near-record heat is forecast to continue through at least midweek, when a weak cold front will approach the state. Temperatures are then likely to fall back closer to normal for this time of year, but mostly due to an increase in cloud cover and rain chances.
A second, stronger cold front is in the long range outlook early next week that will likely bring another taste of autumn to some Floridians. The forecast for the next three days is displayed below.
Meteorologist Cyndee O’Quinn contributed to this report.
