NWS Melbourne Storm Surveys

East Central Florida Heat Wave
June - July 1998
Page composed 7/28/98 by SMS

A deep high pressure ridge persisted across the Gulf of Mexico and Florida from early May through early July and resulted in several long stretches of recording breaking temperatures across much of east central Florida. Gusty west winds held the sea breeze offshore many of the days and allowed temperatures to rise to between the upper 90s and 101 degrees.Even on days in which sea breezes developed... temperatures rose into the mid to upper 90s and set or tied records.

During the period from June 7-10, June 26-27, and through most of July, high temperatures were near or above normal, but did not set daily records. All newly established records (and previous records) are listed below for the observation sites at Melbourne, Orlando, and Daytona Beach.
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NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES

Date	Melbourne new record	Melbourne previous record	Orlando new record	Orlando previous record	Daytona Beach new record	Daytona Beach previous record
June 1	96 (tie)	96 (1985)		100 (1945)		98 (1985)
June 2	99	94 (1985)		96 (1985)	101	97 (1937)
June 3	98	96 (1985)		96 (1985)	100	98 (1985)
June 4	99	94 (1980)		100 (1985)	100	95 (1990)
June 5	100	96 (1980)	98	96 (1980)	101	96 (1937)
June 6	101	96 (1971)	98	97 (1949)	100	97 (1949)

Date	Melbourne new record	Melbourne previous record	Orlando new record	Orlando previous record	Daytona Beach new record	Daytona Beach previous record
June 11	97	96 (1981)		97 (1977)		97(1941)
June 12	97 (tie)	97 (1952)		99 (1952)		98 (1952)
June 13	97	96 (1963)		99 (1977)	99	95 (1963)
June 14	101	98 (1963)		99 (1977)	101	98 (1963)
June 15	100	96 (1963)	97 (tie)	97 (1958)	99	96 (1981)
June 16	98	96 (1961)	98	97 (1963)	100	98 (1981)
June 17	99	93 (1971)	100	98 (1981)	98 (tie)	98 (1981)
June 18	99	97 (1964)	100	99 (1950)		99 (1985)
June 19	99	95 (1964)	100	98 (1985)	100	96 (1985)
June 20	99	96 (1990)	99	98 (1948)		98 (1990)
June 21	98	97 (1961)	98	97 (1948)		96 (1944)
June 22	97	95 (1992)		98 (1987)	96 (tie)	96 (1990)
June 23	96	95 (1964)		98 (1950)		100 (1944)
June 24	97	96 (1980)		99 (1944)		99 (1944)
June 25	96	96 (1980)		99 (1948)		99 (1944)

Date	Melbourne new record	Melbourne previous record	Orlando new record	Orlando previous record	Daytona Beach new record	Daytona Beach previous record
June 28		97 (1954)	97	96 (1954)		99 (1954)
June 29		97 (1980)	99	96 (1952)	98	97 (1977)
June 30	99	95 (1972)	99	96 (1948)	100	96 (1988)
July 1	99	95 (1992)	99	97 (1978)	100	97 (1990)
July 2	100	95 (1997)	101	97 (1972)	99	96 (1970)
July 3	99	96 (1978)	100	97 (1997)	96 (tie)	96 (1978)
July 4		98 (1963)	97 (tie)	97 (1992)		97 (1997)

Date	Melbourne new record	Melbourne previous record	Orlando new record	Orlando previous record	Daytona Beach new record	Daytona Beach previous record
July 6	99 (tie)	99 (1966)		98 (1980)	98	97 (1980)

Date	Melbourne new record	Melbourne previous record	Orlando new record	Orlando previous record	Daytona Beach new record	Daytona Beach previous record
July 8	97	96 (1961)		98 (1969)		98 (1981)
July 9	95 (tie)	95 (1995)		97 (1992)	96	95 (1995)

Date	Melbourne new record	Melbourne previous record	Orlando new record	Orlando previous record	Daytona Beach new record	Daytona Beach previous record
July 28	97	95 (1950)		99 (1949)		98 (1992)

The high temperature at Melbourne has been at or above normal during 93 of the last 94 days.
High temperature records were set or tied at Melbourne on 15 consecutive days during June and on 29 days since June 1st.
High temperature records have been set or tied at Daytona Beach 19 days since June 1st.
High temperature records have been set or tied at Orlando 14 days since June 1st.

The hottest day ever recorded in Melbourne since records began in 1948 occurred on July 14, 1980...when the maximum temperature reached 102 degrees.
The hottest day ever recorded in Daytona Beach since records began in 1935 occurred on June 24, 1944 and July 15, 1981 when the maximum temperature reached 102 degrees.
The hottest day ever recorded in Orlando since records began in 1945 occurred on May 31, 1945 when 102 degrees was reached.

Number of days since June 1 that maximum temperatures reached at least 95 and 100 degrees across East Central Florida
Melbourne	Melbourne	Daytona Beach	Daytona Beach	Orlando	Orlando
95 F or greater	100 F or greater	95 F or greater	100 F or greater	95 F or greater	100 F or greater
40	5	36	10	37	5

Recent WET and DRY periods
November 1997 - July 1998

Extremely wet conditions occurred across east central Florida during the Winter - normally the "dry season". A majority of the rainfall was associated with the passage of numerous "Gulf Lows" and associated cold fronts.

Weather patterns shifted drastically by late March, resulting in a 3 1/2 month period of abnormally dry conditions. The dry weather persisted into the Summer - delaying the typical onset of the "wet season". By mid-late May...persistent dry conditions began to lead to numerous wildfires. Extremely hot, dry, and often breezy conditions in June allowed wildfires to grow and spread quickly. Wildfires became extreme during the first few days of July, forcing evacuation of over 100,000 residents. While scattered lightning storms brought some local relief from the high temperatures and dry conditions, associated lightning strikes also ignited additional wildfires.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms returned to central Florida on July 6 and lasted for several days. A Climatologically "normal" rainfall became established by mid July as scattered thunderstorms occurred daily across the region.

Excessive WET period: November 1 1997 - March 20 1998

Location	Total Rainfall	Normal rainfall	Departure from normal
Melbourne	28.91"	11.97"	+16.94" (242%)
Orlando	31.77"	11.99"	+19.78" (265%)
Daytona Beach	26.28"	13.26"	+13.02" (198%)

Excessive DRY period: March 21 1998 - July 5 1998

Location	Total rainfall	Normal rainfall	Departure from normal
Melbourne	1.92"	13.37"	-11.45" (14%)
Orlando	5.27"	14.92"	-9.65" (35%)
Daytona Beach	1.25"	13.54"	-12.09 (9%)

Another Excessive WET period: July 6-28, 1998

Location	Total rainfall	Normal rainfall	Departure from normal
Melbourne	9.08"	3.46"	+5.62" (262%)
Orlando	7.78"	5.33"	+2.45" (146%)
Daytona Beach	5.18"	3.95"	+1.23" (131%)