ORLANDO, Fla. – It has felt relentlessly hot across Central Florida this summer, and the numbers prove it.
Through the end of July, several spots across east Central Florida are experiencing one of their warmest summers on record. Orlando is having its second-hottest summer on record, with an average temperature of 84.4 degrees, trailing only the legendary summer of 1903. Sanford ranks fifth hottest, Leesburg seventh, Daytona Beach eighth and Melbourne eleventh.
- Orlando: 84.4° (2nd hottest)
- Sanford: 84.0° (5th hottest)
- Leesburg: 83.7° (7th hottest)
- Daytona Beach: 82.4° (8th hottest)
- Melbourne: 82.6° (11th hottest)
The persistent heat has been driven by an almost nonstop pattern of high pressure over the Southeast, limiting widespread rainfall and allowing temperatures to climb into the 90s nearly every afternoon. Even when storms develop, they’re often too isolated or too brief to provide lasting relief.
The lack of consistent rainfall has also allowed drought conditions to linger much longer than they normally would during Florida’s wet season.
Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges recently reported that parts of Central Florida are experiencing the longest stretch of severe drought since 2000, despite being well into the heart of the rainy season. Read more about the drought here.
Summer Isn’t Over Yet
While the calendar says August is almost here, Florida still has plenty of summer left.
Climatologically, August is one of Orlando’s hottest months, with average highs in the low 90s and tropical humidity keeping heat index values well above 100 degrees. That means several more weeks of intense heat are likely before meaningful relief arrives later in the fall.
Could El Niño Change the Pattern?
One factor worth watching is the developing El Niño in the Pacific Ocean.
El Niño’s biggest influence on Florida typically arrives during the fall and winter, when it often brings a stronger subtropical jet stream, more storm systems and wetter-than-average conditions.
It doesn’t provide immediate relief during the heart of summer, but as we move deeper into the season, it could help shift the pattern toward more frequent rainfall and, eventually, cooler weather later this year.