Jeff Berardelli is WFLA's Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist. For the latest updates on Tampa Bay weather and climate, follow him on X and Bluesky.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Meteorological summer — June, July and August — is now done and it was certainly a memorable one with Tampa recording its first 100-degree day and also the hottest heat index on record at 119.

But with that said, it was not quite the hottest. By the numbers, Tampa registered its third hottest summer since records have been kept in 1890. The official data is measured at the airport.

The honor of the hottest summer goes to 2023. And the honor of the most oppressive summer — in terms of heat and humidity — was 2024. So they are all the most recent years. It's not coincidence, it's climate change. But let's discuss t

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