How hot is South Florida? Beach sand was 137 degrees and playground floor reached 177

Ashley Miznazi
·3 min read
1.6k

A summer of record-breaking heat hasn’t been enough to keep the seriously buff off the equipment at famed Muscle Beach on South Beach. But the surrounding scorching sand is often another story.

It measured a stunning 137 degrees at peak heat one recent sunny day, according to infrared surface thermometer.

“You can’t even walk barefoot for more than a minute.” said Juvens Dalger, a personal trainer leading a workout at training site at Lummus Park.

Juvens Dalger, a personal trainer, leads a workout at training site at Lummus Park last month where the sand hit 137 degrees.
Juvens Dalger, a personal trainer, leads a workout at training site at Lummus Park last month where the sand hit 137 degrees.

And that South Beach sand wasn’t even near the hottest thing the Miami Herald measured at popular outdoor spots across South Florida. The National Weather Service has issued a string of excessive heat warnings over the last month and a half, with “feels-like” temperatures sometimes hitting 115. That’s nothing compared to the readings recorded on many things we touch, walk on and sit on.

The sand at South Beach measured between 130 and 137 degrees Fahrenheit on July 21.
The sand at South Beach measured between 130 and 137 degrees Fahrenheit on July 21.

Employing a hand-held ETEKCITY Lasergrip 774 Infrared Thermometer, the Herald recorded surface temperatures across 10 sites in Miami-Dade and Broward counties between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on days with an heat advisory or excessive heat warning.

The hottest spot: 177.9 degrees on the rubberized flooring at Bryan Park playground on Coral Way in Miami. That is literally hot enough to slow cook a rack of ribs, if you give it four or five hours. The swing set seat there measured 131 degrees.

More hot (and some cooler) stuff across South Florida:

▪ Edgewater district, Miami: 130 degrees on the concrete sidewalk at Margaret Pace Park overlooking Biscayne Bay. The grass measured at relatively cool 90, which all the dogs clearly appreciated.

Sidewalk at Margaret Pace Park measured 130 degrees on July 24.
Sidewalk at Margaret Pace Park measured 130 degrees on July 24.

▪ Little Haiti, Miami: 131 degrees on the soccer park turf.

▪ Miami Gardens: 111 degrees on an un-shaded bus stop seat. It was 10 degrees cooler in the shade.

▪ North Miami: 125 degrees on a rental kayak seat at Oleta State Park and 131 on the surrounding plastic of the hull.

The plastic on a kayak sitting in the sun at Oleta State Park measured 131 degrees with an infrared temperature gun.
The plastic on a kayak sitting in the sun at Oleta State Park measured 131 degrees with an infrared temperature gun.

▪ Wynwood: 159 degrees on the dashboard of a car parked for 30 minutes in the sun. A sidewalk in the sun topped 114 but one in the shade measured nearly 20 degrees cooler.

▪ El Portal, Miami: 89 degrees on the skateboard ramp at Skatebird Miami, where a roof keeps things cool and the place packed in the hot weather.

▪ Hollywood Beach: 116 degrees on the Broadwalk asphalt.

▪ Fort Lauderdale: 130 degrees on stands overlooking the Holiday Park tennis courts, which hit 110 themselves.

Dogs stay cool by sitting in a stroller with a fan at Margaret Pace Park.
Dogs stay cool by sitting in a stroller with a fan at Margaret Pace Park.

It goes without saying, these are dangerously hot readings — particularly for children.

A temperature of 110 degrees fahrenheit is enough to burn skin, said Dr. Georgia Christakis, a South Florida pediatrician. The majority of objects tested topped that. Color and material impacts the temperature. Dark colors absorb the most light and heat and so do some materials like concrete, bricks and tiles. Studies suggest climate change will make such days more common in the future.

“Exercise lots of caution and think about doing another activity, especially if it’s going to the playground between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m,” Christakis said. “Maybe that’s the time to seek an indoor play space, like some of the malls have.”