‘Dangerous Heat’ Expected Across FL With Heat Indexes As High As 110

As Saharan dust plumes move across Florida and the Gulf Coast, dangerous heat continues to be a concern in the Sunshine State, with heat indexes as high as 110 forecast in some areas on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Heat advisories were issued for 31 of the state's 67 counties on Thursday, the Tallahassee Democrat said.

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These massive clouds of dust, carried west across the Atlantic from Africa, will continue to expand across Florida into Gulf Coast states through the weekend, AccuWeather forecasters said.

In good news, this airborne dust contains about 50 percent less moisture than the typical tropical atmosphere and can increase vertical wind shear, disrupting the formation of tropical storms, experts said.

Tropical cyclone activity isn’t expected in the Atlantic or Caribbean over the next seven days, the National Hurricane Center said.

Though it’s keeping storms in check, the lingering Saharan dust particles absorb sunlight and trap the heat, forecasters said.

“Are you noticing the haze in the air this morning? That's the cloud of Saharan Dust we've been tracking all week. It has arrived. Temps: hotter, Rain chances: lower,” Denis Phillips, chief meteorologist for Tampa Bay 28, wrote in a social media post.

In Tampa Bay, high temperatures will hit the mid-90s with heat indexes up to 110 degrees, the NWS office in that region said.

In South Florida, heat indexes will range from 105 to 110 with a “major” heat risk, according to the NWS in Miami.

Highs across east central Florida will range from the mid- to upper 90s with a head index up to 110 degrees, the NWS Melbourne office said.

In Northeast Florida, heat indexes are expected to range from 105 to 111 degrees, the NWS in Jacksonville said.

Meanwhile, highs of about 94 are forecast in Tallahassee with a heat index of about 105, the agency’s office in that area said.

This “dangerous heat” is expected over the next several days, possibly continuing through next week and weekend, the NWS said.

“This level of heat will affect anyone without adequate cooling or hydration,” the agency said.

Forecasters recommend that people drink plenty of fluids, stay in air conditioning, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.