Hot and humid weekend for Southwest Florida

Today is going to be a steamy one for Southwest Florida! Onshore winds will pull warm, moist air in from the Gulf of Mexico which will lead to a humid feel to the air today, with dew points in the 70s. The sticky air will also make our temperatures feel a lot warmer than what the thermometer is actually reading! Your body cools down when you sweat and it evaporates into the atmosphere, but when there is a lot of moisture in the air this process happens slower. High temperatures today will top out at 93 in Fort Myers, however, it will feel more like 101 this afternoon!

In the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere, drier air is filtering into the area. That’s going to help limit our rain chances this weekend and through the upcoming week. Expect isolated storms this afternoon off of the Gulf seabreeze. We’ll see a few storms near the coast this afternoon with isolated storms developing late afternoon and early evening as storms push inland. By the dinner hour, most of the storms will be along and east of Lake Okeechobee. Tomorrow will bring lower-end rain chances as the drier air continues to settle in.

So the drier air flow will lead to lower rain chances this week which will lead to warmer temperatures. Expect high temperatures in the low 90s for Fort Myers this weekend with temperatures climbing into the mid 90s by midweek. Make sure to listen to your body this week! Give yourself breaks if you’re going to be spending time outdoors, however, it will be best to limit outdoor activity during the afternoon. Don’t forget your pets! Make sure they always have access to cold water and a cool place to escape the heat.