Extreme Heat

Their record isn't the only thing that's hot. Practice in the afternoon has had dangerous temperatures, forcing teams adjust how they prepare for the big game.

Florida's summer of 2026 was dominated by persistent heat waves and rainfall deficits, especially across South Florida.

Researchers found that when it hit 92.6 degrees in Chicago, hospitals had increases several injuries and illnesses, including issues like MS complications and marijuana-related mental health problems.

Gulf waters have been one to three degrees warmer than average across much of the basin, which is “just a hair, about a tenth of a degree or so above the prior records," according to a climate scientist.

Florida's summer heat doesn't always ease when the sun goes down. High humidity, warm surrounding waters, clouds and heat stored in pavement and buildings can keep overnight temperatures elevated—giving both our bodies and our homes less time to cool down.

Aging can change how efficiently the body sweats, senses thirst and regulates temperature, while common medications and even the temperature inside the home can quietly increase the danger.

Florida workers would remain without government oversight at any level if federal heat policies are watered down. The Legislature banned cities and counties from creating such protections in 2024.

Most cities across North and Central Florida and along the Big Bend could tie or come close to reaching record temperatures this weekend and early next week. The extreme heat could put vulnerable populations at risk.

As heat advisories cover much of Florida and students head back to school, parents are thinking about sunscreen and staying cool. But heat illness—not sunburn—is the immediate danger that claims young lives. Here are five hidden heat dangers every Florida parent should know.

Pediatricians say there are numerous steps to take, including keeping a close eye on children to make sure they are OK.

Underresourced farmworkers can experience physical and mental symptoms while working under the Florida sun. But heat is not their only worry, according to one advocate.

Florida's meteorological summer is at its halfway point. So far, the 2026 season has produced above-average warmth and varying amounts of precipitation.