What to expect from Florida's climate and seasons
Although many Americans tend to think of Florida as possessing a single climate, the state's large geographical area, most of which spans a north-south axis, means that weather conditions in the northern city of Jacksonville are far from identical with the climate enjoyed by Miami, located far to the south. According to meteorologists, the northern and central portions of Florida enjoy a climate officially classed as humid subtropical. South Florida, in contrast, boasts a true tropical climate.
What is a humid subtropical climate?
The panhandle region of Florida, as well as the upper three-quarters of the large peninsula making up the state, enjoy summers that are humid and hot. In contrast, winters in these areas tend to be mild and cool. It is this last characteristic that is largely responsible for drawing huge numbers of Americans and foreigners to the state. Those who hail from regions with bitterly cold winters often find that conditions in Florida are much gentler on their joints, enabling them to enjoy the cooler months of the year with much less discomfort and greatly increased mobility.
What is a true tropical climate?
A tropical climate is characterised by average temperatures above 64 °F throughout all twelve months of the year. Tropical climates may therefore be described as largely without a true winter season, although some months will be cooler than others.
There are several kinds of tropical climates but the one that dominates the southern tip of Florida's peninsula is known as tropical savannah, which is characterised by a well-defined dry season featuring less than six centimetres of rainfall during the driest month of all.
Florida does, in fact, have a rainy season that typically lasts from June to September each year, but areas in the extreme south of the state usually receive noticeably less precipitation than their central and northern neighbours.
Florida winters
The winter season in Florida is mild throughout the state, particularly when compared to other US cities such as New York. Still, the state's variation is remarkable. Wintertime low temperatures in the state capital of Tallahassee, located in the panhandle region, sometimes dip as low as 39 °F (4 °C). Key West, in contrast, rarely gets colder than 64 °F (18 °C), even during the depths of January and February.
Florida summers
Temperature ranges during the summer are more uniform across the state. Lows tend to hover around 70 °F (21 °C) in northern counties and 80 °F (27 °C) in the far southerly islands known as the Florida Keys. Across the state, summer highs often reach 90 °F and above, but Florida residents receive breaks from the heat in the form of morning and afternoon cooling breezes emanating from the sea, as well as afternoon and evening rainstorms.
As international visitors no doubt already know, no place on earth possesses a completely perfect climate. Those who have spent some time in Florida, however, often conclude that America's ‘Sunshine State’ offers weather conditions so close to ideal that it truly can be termed a paradise.
