Heat in Polk, Florida

Record high temperatures were felt for four days in a row from October 8th through October 11th at the Lakeland Linder Airport. The high temperature was 95 degrees each afternoon from the 8th through the 10th and 94 degrees on the 11th. This record heat combined with afternoon dew points in the 70s to allow for heat indicies of 100-110 for a few hours each afternoon. As a result, one person in Davenport died on October 9th from heat stroke after working outside all day and then playing basketball that evening.

Strong high pressure at the surface and aloft centered over Florida provided record warm temperatures from October 7th to October 14th across the area.