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NOUS42 KMLB 040916
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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Melbourne FL
516 AM EDT Tue Jun 4 2024

...May 2024 Was the Warmest May on Record Across Much of East
Central Florida...

After an April that was near to slightly below normal temperature-
wise, conditions really warmed up into May. Limited frontal passages
occurred through the month, and those that did move through were
very weak. This led to little relief from daily average temperatures
that remained near to above normal through the entire month. Average
temperatures for May 2024 were around 3 to 4 degrees above normal,
ranking the month as the warmest May on record for a majority of
climate sites across east central Florida. The exception was at
Daytona Beach and Fort Pierce where May 2024 ranked as 2nd warmest
on record.

An unsettled weather pattern into mid-month led to scattered to at
times numerous showers and storms across the area. The majority of
precipitation for May 2024 occurred during this time frame.
Otherwise, it was a drier start and end to the month. Rainfall
amounts for May 2024 ended up near to above normal across northern
Lake and northwest Volusia counties, with drier than normal
conditions generally persisting across the rest of east central
Florida.


...Temperatures...

Temperatures through May remained near to above normal, with highs
in the 80s and 90s and lows in the 60s and 70s. Only a few weak
passing fronts occurred during the month, and these boundaries
produced little change in temperatures. The warmth during the month
was extreme at times, with numerous daily high and warm low
temperature records tied or broken (see full list below). In fact,
there were 18 days during the month where at least one of the
primary climate sites set or tied a daily warm temperature record.
Fort Pierce not only tied their warmest minimum temperature on
record for May, with a low of 78 degrees on the 14th, but also tied
their hottest maximum temperature on record for May, with a high
of 98 degrees on the 27th.

The persistent near to above normal warmth led to monthly average
temperatures ranging around 3 to 4 degrees above normal. This ranked
as the warmest May on record for Leesburg, Sanford, Orlando,
Melbourne and Vero Beach, with average temperatures for May 2024 at
these sites eclipsing past records by 0.5 to 1.1 degrees. At Daytona
Beach and Fort Pierce it was the 2nd warmest May on record, with
average temperature values only a tenth to two tenths of a degree
from tying their record values. Other noteworthy statistics from the
record setting month is that Orlando and Vero Beach had the highest
number of days where the high was at or above 90 degrees for May.
Additionally, Sanford and Orlando had the highest number of days
where the minimum temperature was at or above 70 degrees for May.


- Record setting number of days during May 2024 where the high
temperature reached at or above 90 degrees:

           Number of Days (May 2024):    Previous May Record:
Orlando         26 (New Record)           24 (May 1975/1933)
Vero Beach      15 (New Record)           14 (May 1975/1967)

- Record setting number of days during May 2024 where the low
temperature remained at or above 70 degrees:

           Number of Days (May 2024):    Previous May Record:
Sanford         20 (New Record)             19 (May 2010)
Orlando         20 (Tied Record)            20 (May 1915)


Daily Record Temperatures for the Month:


Daytona Beach:
- May 9th: Record high of 97 degrees. Previous record was 94 degrees
last set in 1978. Also, tied record warm low of 73 degrees last set
in 1991.

Leesburg:
- May 7th: Tied record warm low of 74 degrees last set in 2010.
- May 8th: Tied record high of 94 degrees last set in 2009.
- May 9th: Record warm low of 75 degrees. Previous record was 72
degrees last set in 2014.
- May 10th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 2008.
- May 25th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 2014.
- May 29th: Record high of 96 degrees. Previous record was 95
degrees last set in 2019. Also, set record warm low of 77 degrees.
Previous record was 75 degrees last set in 2018.
- May 30th: Tied record high of 95 degrees last set in 2019.

Sanford:
- May 8th: Record high of 96 degrees. Previous record was 95 degrees
last set in 2009.
- May 9th: Tied record high of 97 degrees last set in 2009. Also,
tied record warm low of 74 degrees last set in 2008.
- May 16th: Record warm low of 74 degrees. Previous record was 72
degrees last set in 2020.
- May 18th: Record warm low of 74 degrees. Previous record was 73
degrees last set in 2020.
- May 19th: Record warm low of 75 degrees. Previous record was 74
degrees last set in 2008.
- May 25th: Tied record warm low of 74 degrees last set in 2000.
- May 29th: Record warm low of 76 degrees. Previous record was 74
degrees last set in 2017. This also tied the warmest minimum
temperature on record for the month of May at this site, last set on
May 31st, 2019.

Orlando:
- May 15th: Record warm low of 74 degrees. Previous record was 73
degrees last set in 2014.

Melbourne:
- May 4th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 2010.
- May 14th: Record warm low of 77 degrees. Previous record was 75
degrees last set in 2014.
- May 27th: Record high of 98 degrees. Previous record was 95
degrees last set in 1953.

Vero Beach:
- May 5th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 1956.
- May 6th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 1956.
- May 9th: Tied record high of 93 degrees last set in 1977.
- May 10th: Record high of 96 degrees. Previous record was 95
degrees last set in 1976. Also, tied record warm low of 75 degrees
last set in 1991.
- May 13th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 2014.
- May 14th: Record warm low of 77 degrees. Previous record was 75
degrees last set in 2014.
- May 18th: Tied record high of 96 degrees last set in 1995.

Fort Pierce:
- May 5th: Tied record warm low of 75 degrees last set in 1956.
- May 10th: Tied record high of 96 degrees last set in 2008.
- May 14th: Record warm low of 78 degrees. Previous record was 75
degrees last set in 2020. This also tied the warmest minimum
temperature on record for the month of May at this site, last set on
May 22nd, 2022.
- May 27th: Record high of 98 degrees. Previous record was 95
degrees last set in 1902. This also tied the hottest maximum
temperature on record for the month of May at this site, last set on
May 31st, 2004.
- May 28th: Tied record high of 95 degrees last set in 2000.


Average temperatures for May 2024 at the primary climate sites
across east central Florida are as follows (rankings provided if in
the top 10):

- Daytona Beach had a monthly average temperature of 78.9 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 3.3 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
2nd warmest May on record for the site, with records dating back to
1923.

- Leesburg had a monthly average temperature of 81.1 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 3.2 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
warmest May on record for the site, breaking the previous record of
80.6 degrees set in May 2010 and 2003. Records for this site date
back to 1958.

- Sanford had a monthly average temperature of 81.2 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 3.5 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
warmest May on record for the site, breaking the previous record of
80.1 degrees set in May 2003. Records for this site date back to
1948.

- Orlando had a monthly average temperature of 81.4 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 4.1 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
warmest May on record for the site, breaking the previous record of
80.6 degrees set in May 1915. Records for this site date back to
1892.

- Melbourne had a monthly average temperature of 80.3 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 3.5 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
warmest May on record for the site, breaking the previous record of
79.4 degrees set in May 2019. Records for this site date back to
1937.

- Vero Beach had a monthly average temperature of 80.1 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 3.4 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
warmest May on record for the site, breaking the previous record of
79.6 degrees set in May 1995. Records for this site date back to
1942.

- Fort Pierce had a monthly average temperature of 79.7 degrees
Fahrenheit, which was 3.5 degrees above normal. This ranks as the
2nd warmest May on record for the site, with records dating back to
1901.


...Rainfall...

May 2024 started off mostly dry for the first several days of the
month, with only isolated showers and storms occurring at times
across the area. However, toward mid-month from the 11th through the
19th, showers and storms increased across the area due to a more
unsettled pattern as fronts moved into the area or remained stalled
north of the region. Periods of scattered to at times numerous
showers and storms moved or developed across east central Florida,
with some storms becoming strong to severe. Greatest rainfall
amounts were mostly across northern Lake and northwest Volusia
counties where totals up to 3 to 6 inches occurred during this time.
However, across the Vero Beach area, there was even some locally
heavy rainfall up to 4 to 6 inches. Elsewhere, amounts were
typically closer to around 1 to 2 inches from this increase in
rainfall during this period. For the remainder of the month, mostly
dry conditions occurred, with a couple of brief increases in shower
and storm activity on the 25th and 28th.

For most locations, the majority of rainfall for May 2024 occurred
during mid-month. Rainfall was generally near to above normal across
northern Lake and northwest Volusia counties where end of the month
totals were between 4 to 7 inches. Farther south, amounts were
closer to 1 to 3 inches across much of the area, which were around 1
to 2 inches below normal. However, some locally heavier amounts up
to 4 to 7 inches occurred along the Treasure Coast. The overall
drier than normal conditions during May allowed moderate drought
(D1) conditions to develop and expand across much of east central
Florida.


Daily Record Rainfall for the Month:

Daytona Beach:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.

Leesburg:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.

Sanford:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.

Orlando:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.

Melbourne:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.

Vero Beach:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.

Fort Pierce:
- No daily record rainfall values set or tied.


May 2024 rainfall totals for the primary climate sites across east
central Florida are as follows (ranking provided if in the top 10):

- Daytona Beach received 1.65 inches of rain for the month, which
was 2.04 inches below normal.

- Leesburg received 4.77 inches of rain for the month, which was
2.09 inches above normal.

- Sanford received 1.67 inches of rain for the month, which was 1.64
inches below normal.

- Orlando received 1.80 inches of rain for the month, which was 2.22
inches below normal.

- Melbourne received 1.12 inches of rain for the month, which was
2.41 inches below normal.

- Vero Beach received 4.54 inches of rain for the month, which was
0.34 inches above normal.

- Fort Pierce received 2.43 inches of rain for the month, which was
1.50 inches below normal.


Below is a list of observed precipitation totals and rainfall
statistics for select sites across east central Florida for
May 2024:

Station         May 2024       Normal      Departure    Percent of
                Rainfall      Rainfall    From Normal     Normal

Daytona Beach    1.65"         3.69"        -2.04"         45%
(DAB)
Orlando          1.80"         4.02"        -2.22"         45%
(MCO)
Melbourne        1.12"         3.53"        -2.41"         32%
(MLB)
Vero Beach       4.54"         4.20"        +0.34"        108%
(VRB)
Clermont*        3.10"         3.54"        -0.44"         88%
(CLRF1)
Leesburg         4.77"         2.68"        +2.09"        178%
(LEE)
DeLand*          5.57"         4.16"        +1.41"        134%
(DELF1)
Sanford          1.67"         3.31"        -1.64"         50%
(SFB)
Titusville*      2.03"         3.71"        -1.68"         55%
(TITF1)
Fort Pierce      2.43"         3.93"        -1.50"         62%
(FPR)
Stuart*          4.53"         5.66"        -1.13"         80%
(STRF1)

*Rainfall totals for the month end around 7 AM on the 31st.

For more local climate information, please visit our web page at
http://weather.gov/mlb and click on the "Climate" icon toward the
bottom of the page.

$$

Weitlich