It’s hot.
Hotter than usual.
And last month, it was the hottest July ever recorded, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Meanwhile, parts of Central Florida bumped up against the records, and some counties responded to more heat-related incidents than usual.
“Even at the water parks, it was really hard. It's so hot, and it's so unbearable, and the heat index is so high,” said Dr. Maritza Plaza, the chief of pediatric emergency medicine at the University of Florida. She and her children tried going to the water park last week, with mixed results when it came to enjoyment.
She says hotter temperatures mean making adjustments to outdoor plans
“We have to plan the activities at key times of the day, and to be even more cognizant of avoiding those extreme heat or high-sun moments,” Plaza said.
The hottest July. A dangerous week in August
On Tuesday, the National Weather Service’s Melbourne office issued its 13th heat advisory of the summer. Heat advisories are declared when the heat index reaches 108 degrees or more.
“(Thirteen), that's very unusual for this point in our year. Normally, we'll get four or five by now, but each year seems to be that we're getting more and more of those heat advisories issued,” said Alan Harris, the emergency management director in Seminole County.
It’s the third summer in a row of double-digit heat advisory totals, according to Matt Volkmer, science operations officer at NWS Melbourne. In 2023, 25 advisories were issued, and 18 were issued in 2024. Before 2023, seeing more than nine was unusual in the Central Florida area, Volkmer said.
Last month, Orlando recorded its second-hottest July in 134 years, tied with July of 2016, according to the National Weather Service. It was also the second driest July on record.
Heat by the numbers
In Seminole County, Sanford recorded its fourth-hottest July. For the county, that also meant a higher volume of heat-related incident calls, like heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Seminole recorded 40 emergency heat calls in July, 11 more than it had in June.
The total was also above its seven-year average for July, which is about 32 calls.
It wasn’t the only county.
Brevard and Osceola counties also recorded more heat exhaustion and heat stroke calls than their seven-year averages, with 41 in Brevard and 36 in Osceola this year.
Orange County reported the highest number of emergency calls with 78; however, that’s actually below its seven-year average of 83 calls. In July of last year, Orange had 104 calls.
Is August going to be hotter?
Will August be hotter than July? It’s hard to say, but it will likely be hotter than a typical August.
The NWS is predicting dangerous heat for the rest of the week, and NOAA’s August through October forecast is for hotter-than-usual temperatures.
With that in mind, Dr. Plaza is expecting more kids to come to the emergency room as after-school activities are back in session, like football and even band practice, which requires heavy clothing and equipment.
“(August) is when we start seeing the majority of them because sports start happening,” Plaza said. “Kids always want to play, so they always want to go outside, and they’re never going to tell you that they're actually hot until it's too late. And so that's when we're really going to start seeing them.”
She and other experts are advising coaches and supervisors to make sure kids are getting plenty of breaks in the shade, drinking lots of water, and wearing light clothing.
Who is the most at risk?
Kids are the most susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, Plaza said. “Those younger kids, their body surface area just isn't the same as ours, and they just don't regulate temperature well like we do.”
Kids walking home should also be careful and bring water, especially if they are out of school early between 1 and 2 p.m.
Anyone can fall victim to heat exhaustion, Harris said. In Seminole County, many of the heat-related calls were from tourists and people who work outside.
“Some of our companies are making adjustments to make sure that their employees are safe,” he said.
Anyone outside in Seminole can seek relief by visiting Seminole County parks, trails, and recreation centers and Seminole County library branches. The two departments are making relief centers available to the public during the times of an expected heat advisory.
Heat sickness isn’t the only issue. Pet owners should also avoid walking their pets in late morning and midday, Harris said.
“That temperature on a sidewalk when it feels like 108 can get up to 140, 150. That will burn paws,” he said.
Leaving kids and animals in the car, even if the window is cracked, is not a good idea, either, Plaza said.
“Honestly, you shouldn't leave them at all. I wouldn't leave a child or a pet in there, even with the AC on, because you don't know. What if the car stops working? What if the AC stops working? …. It's like a little mini oven, and they won't be able to get out,” Plaza said.
As for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, Plaza says it's important to recognize the signs.
If the patient begins vomiting or has a change in mental state, such as being dizzy or confused, parents or coaches should call 911.
“The first and most important thing is that you need to start cooling right there, and then call 911. I mean, I would rather 911 goes out there and then the child is completely fine, and nothing has to happen because they were cooled down appropriately,” she said.
