2023 the warmest year on record
NOAA dubbed 2023 the warmest year on record by far, with persistent heat documented in Broward County and across the South Florida region. Local stations measured record-breaking temperatures at Miami International Airport with the total number of hours exceeding a heat index at or above 105°F surpassing 160 hours, compared to the historical average of just 9.3 hours across the period of record.
Here at home, in Broward County, we measured 37 days when the heat index exceeded 105°F. at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International compared the historic average of just 5 days. Under current emission scenarios, the index is expected to climb to more than 60 days by mid-century.
Fortunately, despite the extreme heat, the South Florida area, including Broward County, experienced lower than average heat-related emergency services activations relative to other areas of the state experiencing similar conditions. The National Weather Center forecasters speculate that this may be due, in part, to enhanced extreme heat massaging and outreach by our region.
The outlook for 2024 includes a continuation of unseasonal temperatures and rainfall for South Florida, in part of a function of persistent El Niño conditions. The 2024 hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin could also exceptionally active. These extremes are widely considered example of the new norm as global temperatures continue to rise with increasing CO2 emissions.
