A warm year, but not the warmest for Florida

Though Friday was without a doubt chilly, Saturday looks as though it will return to the warming trend we’ve seen this month.

Friday night’s low was expected to reach 45 degrees, but it won’t stay cold for long. Temperatures are expected to shoot back up Saturday to a high near 73 and near 80 Sunday. Lows for both days are predicted to be in the 60s.

Despite being a remarkably and wonderfully warm December, the year likely will not beat out 2015 as the warmest year on record for Florida. Last year was Florida’s and the nation’s warmest year to date, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

The Miami Herald reports 2016 has become the third warmest on record, behind 2011 and the all-time hottest year, 2015.

Statewide averages and maximum temperatures were still “much above average” rates, but they were not the warmest on record, according to the NCEI. The minimum temperatures, however, ranked the warmest from January to November.

A Southeast Regional Climate Center map shows several areas in the state experienced second highest average mean temperatures to date in 2016.

Tampa tied for its second highest, while Venice only notched its eighth highest.

Only Perry in Taylor County, Pensacola and Jacksonville Beach set their highest average mean temperatures to date in 2016 as of Thursday.

As for the month of December, the National Weather Service report noted that December 2016 is on pace to be in the top 10 warmest and driest across portions of West Central and Southwest Florida.

The Miami Herald reports that until Friday, South Florida was on track to beat last year’s record high December by about two hundredths of a degree, according to University of Miami’s Brian McNoldy. But considering the forecast for Friday and Saturday, the month will almost surely have to settle for second.

Last year, the Sarasota-Bradenton area’s warmest December was notched at 72.8 degrees, according to the report. The average temperature for Dec. 1 through Dec. 25, 2016, is 69.7 degrees, while the normal temperature measures in at 63.5 degrees.

Temperatures are running about 5 to 8 degrees above normal, according to the report, continuing the month’s warm and dry conditions.

Six states — Georgia, Virginia, North Dakota, Montana and North and South Carolina — all recorded their warmest years from January to November 2016.

This story was originally published December 30, 2016 at 8:18 PM with the headline "A warm year, but not the warmest for Florida."