Florida Weather

Facts about Florida climate and weather

Florida is the southernmost state in the continental United States and as you might expect, its weather reflects this fact very nicely. The state motto gives us another hint when it calls it "The Sunshine State".

Well, technically Arizona and southern California may enjoy even more sunshine than Florida but you probably will have no reason to complain. 

An occasional rain or thunderstorm helps to make it also a very green state, all year round, something many visitors appreciate especially during their winter vacation here.

Winter in Florida

Winter and spring are usually quite dry and sunny, with low humidity and quiet winds. The change to a more tropical weather occurs around May when the ocean temperature reaches 80F, and an increased evaporation produces more clouds and eventually rains become much more frequent. In the peak of the summer, torrential rains are quite common and are often accompanied by thunder.

Summer Storms

Florida has the most thunderstorms of any state.

If you get a chance to be there in the summer, storms usually start in the after-noon, but they will also produce great spectacles in the night sky.

The warm and moist air may rise many miles into the sky creating layers of fantastically shaped clouds which become highlighted by the lightning.

From late May to early October, Florida weather forecast is very predictable.

Temperature varies from the high 80s along the beaches to the low 90s inland during the day, dropping to the high 70s during the night.

Humidity is consistently high, its relative number approaches 100% in the morning, but drops to 50% or less during the day.

The combination of high temperature and humidity in the summer may be uncomfortable for some people, but if you visit Florida anytime from October to May you will be fine.