NWS issues heat advisory and warns of fire danger

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has issued a heat advisory in effect from Wednesday to Friday as well as the increased fire danger conditions.

Wednesday through Friday will see record or near-record triple digit heat. Thursday is expected to be the hottest day with Friday seeing the highest heat index values. A heat advisory is in effect for some Florida and Georgia counties. Thursday is likely to see an issue of heat advisories and excessive heat warnings.

NWS states, “Today will be the first of three days with 100+ degree heat. On Thursday, the forecast high of 104 degrees at Tallahassee is only one degree shy of the all-time record high. In most places through Thursday, the air will be dry enough to preclude a boost from heat index. Nonetheless, air temperatures this hot will pose the risk of heat-related illness.”

The exception to dry air will be along the beach communities of the Emerald Coast. Afternoon sea breezes at the beaches will bring in enough humidity to boost the heat index, without offering enough cooling to reliably keep the heat index below 108 degrees.

High fire danger conditions are expected to develop under full sunshine, scorching heat, and unseasonably dry relative humidity. Dead fuels will dry quickly, while live fuels will become stressed and wilty. If wildfires develop, the atmosphere will certainly support active fire behavior.

The initial return of thunderstorms is expected late Friday, at first mainly east of a Tallahassee-Albany line. The first thunderstorms on the back edge of the hot, dry air mass will come with strong and possibly severe wind gusts.

There is a high risk of rip currents at Emerald and Forgotten Coast beaches on Wednesday.