News Peak heat index to hit 112F at Walt Disney World theme parks this week

[DocAlan02]

I’ve lived in Orlando for 20 years now after visiting for many years prior. This year is absolutely different than normal. The actual temperatures are a few degrees higher and strangely the humidity is a little lower which is resulting these crazy record heat index reports. Rain patterns are also different than normal. Instead of the front that crosses the state every afternoon we are seeing (sometimes very intense) small pop-up storms more often which means most areas don’t get any rain at all. All of this is resulting in most locals just not going outdoors during the day right now unless they have to- it’s simply too hot to do anything.

Thanks. That's helpful and interesting that just a small difference could push things over a threshold. Hopefully it will be bearable once we arrive this Saturday.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Question about this: Our trips are often in mid-August, and this year is no exception. Unless I am remembering wrong, it is often mid-to-high 90s with a near-80 dewpoint when we are there. Is this something different? Or is this just warnings that didn't use to happen even though these weather conditions did?

This is warmer than normal for August. wunderground.com had the actual temperature in Lake Buena Vista hitting 100 degrees at various points yesterday. It's listed as 98 right now and will likely get hotter as the afternoon wears on.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Correct.

No, Orlando is experiencing record or near-record high temperatures right now.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Yeah, that's not a "normal August temperature." It's not even the hottest part of the day yet. This also beats the record high temperature for August 8th for this weather station. The all-time record high temperature for Orlando (set 100 years ago when temperature gauges were more unreliable) is 103. Orlando is going to be flirting with that record today and tomorrow.

 

[wdwmagic]

I’ve lived in Orlando for 20 years now after visiting for many years prior. This year is absolutely different than normal. The actual temperatures are a few degrees higher and strangely the humidity is a little lower which is resulting in these crazy record heat index reports. Rain patterns are also different than normal. Instead of the front that crosses the state every afternoon we are seeing (sometimes very intense) small pop-up storms more often which means most areas don’t get any rain at all. All of this is resulting in most locals just not going outdoors during the day right now unless they have to- it’s simply too hot to do anything.

I've heard very similar comments from other Orlando residents. 2023 is not a normal summer.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Ahhh, just like home in central Alabama. This is why we go in spring or fall. Just because we can tolerate it doesn’t make it enjoyable on an expensive vacation.

This is our thought process also, I’ve trained for 2 marathons in 110+ heat, we regularly golf in 110+ heat… we can tolerate it but I’m not going to pay thousands of dollars to spend a week in it.

Our WDW “window” is Sep to May, we’ve still had days in the 90s, and had days in the 30s (crazy FL weather), but at least it’s not a week straight of barely tolerable heat.

 

[Andrew C]

I’ve lived in Orlando for 20 years now after visiting for many years prior. This year is absolutely different than normal.

It has been the same in Texas. Worst summer that I can remember...

 

[Prince-1]

Correct.

Incorrect.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Just to clarify, 101 is the **actual** temperature, not the "feels-like" temperature.

 

[mysto]

We just need a couple cat 5 hurricanes to keep temps down. Could happen. Would thin the crowds.

 

[Lilofan]

We just need a couple cat 5 hurricanes to keep temps down. Could happen. Would thin the crowds.

Thin the crowds to zero with a Cat 5.

 

[Kamikaze]

We just need a couple cat 5 hurricanes to keep temps down. Could happen. Would thin the crowds.

Good thing Florida has a healthy insurance industry.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Still going up...

 

[John park hopper]

102 feels like 118 wonder what it feels like in MK with all that concreat and brick gotta be higher than 118

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

102 feels like 118 wonder what it feels like in MK with all that concreat and brick gotta be higher than 118

Things are going to start melting. Literally.

 

[John park hopper]

Hope guests are using a liberal dose of deodorant, could be pretty smelly with all those people sweating sanding shoulder to shoulder waiting for an attraction.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Figment decided to take today off, Imagination has been down almost all day. Seas and Test Track were also down at various points.

 

[trmiv]

I’ve lived in Orlando for 20 years now after visiting for many years prior. This year is absolutely different than normal. The actual temperatures are a few degrees higher and strangely the humidity is a little lower which is resulting in these crazy record heat index reports. Rain patterns are also different than normal. Instead of the front that crosses the state every afternoon we are seeing (sometimes very intense) small pop-up storms more often which means most areas don’t get any rain at all. All of this is resulting in most locals just not going outdoors during the day right now unless they have to- it’s simply too hot to do anything.

Yep this. I also live in the area, Windermere (or windernear to some), about 3.5 miles from Magic Kingdom. This summer is different than the past especially this week. The heat is brutal and can be unrelenting because we aren’t getting the same storm coverage. Yesterday no rain near us at all. Today is shaping up to be the same. My poor AC unit is running all day just to keep the house at 78. I keep hoping for our typical afternoon storms to lower the temp a bit and let my AC catch up, but it doesn’t look great for today either.

Unless we are at Typoon Lagoon we aren’t going outside for anything.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Still going up...

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Remember that Wunderground is a network of official and unofficial weather stations. Official readings are not usually taken in a townhouse neighborhood. But a source told me they saw 98F with a heat index of 113F about an hour ago.

Regardless, it is hot this week, and the usual precautions need to be heeded and followed as much as possible.