Heat advisories arrive in pairs this weekend from Miami to Fort Lauderdale. And the Keys?

Howard Cohen
·2 min read

The National Weather Service in Miami’s heat advisories are coming like BOGOs now.

Early Saturday, forecasters at the service issued a heat advisory for Saturday and for Sunday for all of South Florida because of “feels-like” temperatures expected to run from 105 to 108 degrees.

The weekend heat advisory for South Florida runs from 10 a.m. Saturday until 6 p.m. Sunday.

The weather service in Key West also issued a heat advisory for the Florida Keys from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday with a forecast “feels-like” reading of 111.

Regular highs in the seven-day forecast call for 88 with lows still a toasty 82 from Miami to Fort Lauderdale. In the Keys, expect low 90s down to mid-80s.

What you should do

Beachgoer Sergei lazovskiy cools off under the shower on a sunny and hot day at the Haulover Park beach on May 28, 2024. There have been regular heat advisories throughout the summer so far in South Florida.
Beachgoer Sergei lazovskiy cools off under the shower on a sunny and hot day at the Haulover Park beach on May 28, 2024. There have been regular heat advisories throughout the summer so far in South Florida.

The service’s standard advice on how to stay safe in hot weather bears repeating: “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances,” forecasters said.

Heat forecast

National Weather Service in Miami’s maximum heat index forecast temperatures for parts of Florida on Saturday afternoon, July 20, 2024.
National Weather Service in Miami’s maximum heat index forecast temperatures for parts of Florida on Saturday afternoon, July 20, 2024.

Here are the expected heat index figures for several South Florida locations forecast for Saturday:

▪ Miami: 106.

▪ Homestead: 106.

▪ Fort Lauderdale: 106.

▪ West Palm Beach: 109.

The highest heat index forecast in Florida? Naples, where forecasters predict 113. That beats the Keys by two degrees.

Rain chances

In South Florida, from Homestead to Fort Lauderdale, forecasters also predict a 70% chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms through the weekend, especially in the afternoon hours through the rest of the week, with 70% chances for afternoon showers steady Monday to Friday, dropping a bit at night to the 40% range.

Some thunderstorms could pack gusty winds, frequent lightning and downpours, according to the service.

There’s a decent chance for rain and occasional thunderstorms in the Keys, too, but the forecast tops out at 60% Sunday night and generally runs a 30% chance through day times during the week.

Rip currents

Rip currents are moderate at South Florida beaches Saturday but an elevated risk is possible later this weekend and into early next week along the Atlantic Coast beaches as east to southeasterly wind flow strengthens, the service forecast.