Bradenton is feeling the heat from climate change. Here’s what to know

June 2026 was the warmest June on record for the Bradenton-Sarasota area, capping off the region’s hottest spring since record-keeping began in 1911. Experts point to climate change, warming Gulf waters and rapid urbanization as key drivers behind the record-breaking heat.

FULL STORY: Is this Bradenton summer hotter than usual? We just broke a record, experts say

Here are key takeaways:

• June 2026 averaged 84.9 degrees in the Bradenton-Sarasota area, more than 3 degrees above normal and a full degree hotter than the previous record set in 1998, according to the National Weather Service.
• Bob Bunting, chairman and CEO of the Climate Adaptation Center in Sarasota, said nighttime heat is the biggest driver of rising averages. Nights that once cooled into the 70s now frequently stay above 80 degrees.
• All of Bradenton’s top 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 2015, and this spring was the warmest on record with temperatures 3.8 degrees above normal.
• It was also the second-driest June on record with just 0.88 inches of rain, as a drought continues across most of Florida.
• Forecasters expect above-normal temperatures to continue, with afternoon heat index values pushing near heat advisory levels and dry Saharan air keeping rain chances lower than normal.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.