Florida Weather Report

[marc.knuckle]

That's great you agree. Hopefully the best of all the key categories or at least good compromises on the ones that aren't the absolute best.

[Simon Veness]

This month's weather continues to be straight down the middle - warming up and still very dry. After that 5-day spell of wet weather last month, we haven't had another drop of rain, so our rain deficit for this year continues to creep back up again. Having been at 6.5ins before last month's above-average amount, which took it down to 4.5ins, the complete lack so far in May means it's back above 5ins again, with our last rain now just over 11 days ago. The possibility of showers last weekend didn't amount to anything at all, and the next likelihood of anything substantial is another 6 days away. Temps are creeping up above average, though, so that should help to create the necessary moisture to kick-start some weather. As ever, we shall see...

[Catlady]

I'll send you some of the rain we have been having!

[Simon Veness]

We could certainly do with it, CL. This afternoon it clouded over in typical dark, summer fashion, then moved off without giving us a drop! But we were more humid today than we've been so far this year, so we can't be far off the daily afternoon thunderstorm (fingers crossed!).

[Simon Veness]

It seems like summer really HAS kicked in in earnest, with some suitably stormy weather and heavy rain over much of the past 8 days. We're actually up to 5.5ins of rain for May (usual monthly average 3.5) and the temps are not varying much between 88-92F/31-33C. Any idea of drought is being put firmly in the rear-view mirror, and the humidity is a whopping 82%. That's pretty much June/July territory.

There IS a cold front on the horizon that might drop the temps a bit lower for a few days, but I think we can safely say that summer has well and truly arrived!

[Simon Veness]

Things have pretty much stayed humid and steamy in the past 6 days, with more heavy rain periodically (almost 7 ins for the month in total now) and a fair amount of cloud throughout the day. There has been a heavy low pressure system off to Florida's east coast that has dragged lots of moist air across the peninsula, but it's now moving away and things should cool down and dry up (a little). But this is now a typical Florida summer, so we're going to see more of those afternoon thunderstorms. Just don't imagine they're going to ruin your holiday as they still don't last too long

[Simon Veness]

It's June. It's hot. It's humid. It's stormy (for around an hour a day). That's pretty much it. The temp varies only by a few degrees here and there but the humidity doesn't. It's WAY up there consistently and makes everything feel hotter than it is.

We've had surprisingly little rain in total, though, even though it feels like the thundery showers have been omni-present. It has been sporadic across the area, though (fairly typical in June). Orlando Airport has recorded 3.1ins of rain to date, but Apopka, 30 miles to the north-west, just 0.4ins. The average for June is 8.05ins, so there's still a way to go.

[Simon Veness]

Actually, with a week to go this month, June has definitely been a bit more unpredictable than most, with more storms, wind and rain in the past 10 days than usual, part of a country-wide weather pattern that is seeing record heat in places like Texas, and devastating storms, with damaging winds and hail. Orlando has had a small amount of that, but it has certainly been wet recently, with more than 3 inches of rain in the last week, taking the monthly total to date to almost 6.5ins. Orlando's heat is also inching up, but only to the kind of levels we expect in late June (around 94F/35C).

[Simon Veness]

June finished slightly under the typical rainfall total for the month, but with things warming up noticeably, like much of the southern USA, where there have been major heat warnings across wide areas. The last week of June saw things each 95F/35C regularly, and July has started even warmer, with the highest mark for the year so far, 99/37 on July 3. The average for this time of year is still a whopping 92/33, but we are verging on new records almost every day. With the added humidity, the Heat Index (the "feels like" factor) makes things a lot warmer, around 8-10 degrees warmer, hence 99/37 can make it feel like 109/42.5, and that's some SERIOUS heat.

Remember, drink LOTS of water, use plenty of sunblock, and get in the air-conditioned cool at regular intervals. Preferably, take an afternoon break.

[Simon Veness]

After much of the month above average (like much of the country), the past week has seen things cool down - a little. Instead of high 90sF/37C, Central Florida is seeing things more back at the average for this time of year (92/33), albeit it is still plenty wet and humid (around 85%, which makes things feel 6-10 degrees hotter). There has been almost 5 inches of rain (with a usual July average of 7.46ins) and things feel really steamy, with the Heat Index around 100/38. In many ways, it is business as usual for an Orlando summer, but things are just that bit warmer than normal, and it will be interesting if it continues to be wetter, too.