Many individuals are deeming this summer to be the most sweltering they can recollect, and Florida has recently been the subject of numerous excessive heat alerts.
However, it’s not solely the blazing sun and stifling humidity that render outdoor activities unsafe. The potential for severe burns to hands, feet, and surfaces rises as objects turn scorching.
On days marked by heat advisories or excessive heat alerts, The Miami Herald tested surfaces at well-known outdoor sites spanning Miami-Dade to Broward counties using a handheld ETEKCITY Lasergrip 774 Infrared Thermometer.
Their findings showed that the rubberized flooring of a playground recorded the highest temperature, measuring at 177.9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Visitors to the beach may identify another intensely hot spot, as the sand at South Beach reached a temperature of 137 degrees.
According to Dr. Georgia Christakis, a physician, this exceeds the 110-degree threshold for causing skin burns.
Highlights of High Temperatures in Miami, Florida
As per the Herald’s assessment, the following outdoor surfaces were found to be the hottest:
- Dashboard of a car parked in the sun for 30 minutes: 159 degrees
- Playground swing set: 131 degrees
- Soccer park turf: 131 degrees
- Concrete sidewalk: 130 degrees
- Rental kayak seat: 125 degrees
- Bus stop seat: 111 degrees
- Tennis courts: 110 degrees
Prominent Heat Issues on Florida’s Gulf Coast
On one of the hottest days ever documented in Naples, in July 2023, Naples Daily News reporter Mark Bickel employed a non-contact LCD Multi Dot Laser Infrared Thermometer to measure heated surfaces. The results are as follows:
- Playground slide: 157.7 degrees
- Post office drop box: 136.5 degrees
- Pickleball court: 133.3 degrees
- The tiled floor outside a local ice cream parlor: 123.5 degrees
- Sidewalk bench: 114.5 degrees
- Shopping cart: 111.2 degrees
Florida experienced its warmest January through June on the historical record, and August has kicked off with higher temperatures than usual.
In fact, July 2023 and June 1998 hold the record as the two hottest months in Florida’s history. Miami’s heat index crossed 100 degrees for a consecutive span of 46 days.
Subsequently, extreme heat advisories have intermittently been in effect throughout the summer across a significant part of the state. The standards for issuing these alerts differ based on the location within the state. Nonetheless, authorities recommend individuals exercise caution as excessive heat can lead to severe health consequences. Over the past three years, heat-related deaths in Florida have surged by 88 percent.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, heatwaves cause more fatalities on a nationwide scale compared to all other weather-related disasters combined, accounting for over 150 fatalities annually.
