Stifling extreme heat in Palm Beach County will endure through the weekend, but rain could offer a hint of relief.
It’s been a summer of heat advisories and roasting feels-like temperatures in the triple digits. This week's heat has been especially brutal because a plume of Saharan dust kept rain chances low. A 96-degree temperature at Donald J. Trump International Airport near West Palm Beach tied with a record high on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
But that dust is on its way out and a rush of moisture is moving in, said Nico Porcelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
The moisture will boost rain chances up to about 60% in Palm Beach County,
with afternoon showers and thunderstorms expected every day this weekend. A cooldown could happen after storms roll through, but the storms will likely develop after temperatures have risen well into the 90s, so they wouldn’t limit the peak afternoon heat.
“Under these hot conditions, I just want to remind people to take breaks, go into the air conditioning and stay hydrated, because only a little bit out in the heat can really cause some heat illnesses,” Porcelli said.
Hot hot will it be this weekend in Palm Beach County?
The maximum heat index, or “feels-like,” temperature could reach 112 degrees in West Palm Beach on Friday, Aug. 21. It steadily drops to 110 degrees on Saturday, Aug. 22, and to 109 degrees on Sunday, Aug. 23. The high temperature in West Palm Beach projected to be 93 degrees each day this weekend, when more heat advisories are likely.
This summer has the second-highest number of heat advisories in South Florida that the weather service has issued. It is rivaled only by the summer of 2024. This summer is already on track to at least match its number of heat advisories, Porcelli said.
During a heat advisory, the weather service recommends that people limit strenuous activities outdoors during the peak heat of the day, stay hydrated, take care of pets and stay in air conditioning when they can. A heat advisory is triggered when there is a heat index of at least 108 degrees for two consecutive hours.
Is Palm Beach County still in a drought?
Yes. South Florida is still in a drought, which has persisted in at least some parts of the region during the entire year. This summer has had a more than usual amount of Saharan dust, which has kept the weather dry for several longer stretches.
“Certainly, any little bit of rain helps the drought, but it's going to take a big event, maybe even like a tropical system, to really put a dent in that drought,” Porcelli said. “Right now, we're still seeing severe drought, particularly mostly along the Everglades.”
Maya Washburn is a Trending News Reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Rain, thunderstorms set to return amid triple-digit heat this weekend
