TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Meteorological summer (June, July & August) is now in the rear view mirror – and this was certainly one for the record books.

Summer 2020 was the hottest on record in Tampa going all the way back to 1890. This was assisted in large part by a record hot and unusually dry month of July.

The average overall temperature in Tampa through June, July, and August was around 84.8 degrees. That’s two degrees warmer than the 30-year average for the three summer months.

This was also the hottest summer on record at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport – as well as in Tarpon Springs and Plant City. Summer 2020 represented a Top 10 hottest on record for St. Petersburg, Lakeland, and Inverness.

Rainfall amounts were much more variable across the Tampa Bay area this summer. With long periods stuck in an onshore flow (west wind off of the Gulf of Mexico), inland areas received a lot more rain – while coastal areas stayed considerably drier.

It may be hard to believe after our late August deluge but Tampa still finished the summer with a rainfall deficit. The total summer tally at Tampa International Airport was 20.95″ which was about a half-inch below average.

We certainly made a big comeback in August (typically our wettest month of the year) with 10.20″ of rain!