Florida Weather - The Sunshine State

   
 
 

Renowned as the 'Sunshine State' Florida is on most people's list of favourite holiday destinations. Whether you are planning to head for the beach, explore the world's largest theme parks or tour the state, Florida Weather is unlikely to disappoint. Sunshine and warmth are on tap most of the year. The Weather Guide shown below is for Miami. Read more

Usually Current Outlook
in June Now Tomorrow
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10
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Sky Cover: Scattered Cloud in Florida
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Tomorrow's Sky Cover: Broken Clouds in Florida Tomorrow's Weather: Light Rain and Chance of Thunderstorms in Florida
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Florida Weather Overview

Florida Weather is hot and humid in summer with fairly high rainfall but also with plenty of sunshine. In winter it is cooler and drier but never gets particularly cold except possibly in the very far north.

Florida Cottage © L Barnwell
Florida Cottage © L Barnwell

Although the summer is always the season with most rain, there is rainfall in all months almost everywhere. However south of a line drawn from Fort Myers to Palm Beach weather conditions become more like the Caribbean with a clearly defined winter dry season from December to April. In Miami for example in April there are usually only 5 days with some rain.

Throughout the state summers are hot with daytime temperatures rising into the 30s Celsius from June to September. Interestingly summer days in the north can be hotter than they are in the south but summer nights in the north are a few degrees cooler.

Heat and humidity is also very high everywhere in summer during the day, but afternoon thunderstorms usually cool the air towards the end of the day so heat and humidity does not persist into the night. Florida has the highest number of thunderstorms per year of any US state.

Most rainfall also occurs at the height of summer between June and September with over 200mm of rain a month in some places. But despite the large number of days with rain there is still also a lot of sunshine - at least 8 hours a day on average everywhere.

Areas in the north-west and south-east receive most rainfall in the year, while rainfall is lowest in the far south-west and along the Florida Keys.

Hurricanes and other less serious tropical storms can strike Florida any time in the summer up to the end of November, however the risk is greatest between August and October. Hurricanes can pose a serious threat to life and property but on average less than four storms a year affect Florida and generally all they bring is cloud, high winds, rough seas and a lot of rain.

At the end of October the weather starts to get cooler and drier throughout the state and by the middle of December heat and humidity ceases to be a problem. Between December and February ground frost can occur in the north of the state and on very rare occasions snow has even been seen. Despite this winters in Florida are generally very pleasant.

Even in Orlando, which is 400 kilometres north of the Florida Keys, daytime temperatures usually rise above 20°C most days during winter and will only fall below 10°C at night in January and February.

In coastal areas especially on the east coast winters are particularly mild. This is partly due to a fairly constant easterly wind that blows over the warm Atlantic Ocean to the east of Florida, and to the warm Gulf Stream current flowing up the east coast.

In Palm Beach, even in February the coldest month, the sea temperature does not usually drop below 24°C. However winter is also the jellyfish season so take advice before jumping in.

The best time to visit Florida is probably in March and April when it is warm and sunny; usually in these months over 75% of daylight hours are sun-filled, and temperatures range from the high teens Celsius at night to the high twenties during the day.

Heat and Humidity is generally low to moderate and in the south the sea is warm enough for swimming. From May onwards Florida weather begins to get hot again.

What to Pack for Florida

In Florida you can get away with light clothing for most of the year, while some sort of protection from the rain is essential in summer. Unless you are only visiting the south of the state in winter you will need an extra layer for evenings.

Map of Florida

Select a destination from the Florida Map to view the holiday weather guide. Alternatively, select from the list of destinations below the map. Can't find the Florida weather destination you are after? Try the Destination Search.

  Amelia Island   Bradenton   Cape Canaveral   Cape Coral   Captiva   Clearwater   Cocoa Beach   Crystal River   Davenport   Daytona Beach   Disney World   Duck Key   Fernandina Beach   Fort Lauderdale   Fort Myers   Fort Myers Beach   Fort Walton Beach   Gainesville   Indian Rocks   International Drive   Jacksonville   Key Largo   Key West   Kissimmee   Lake Buena Vista   Madeira Beach   Marco Island   Miami   Miami Beach   Naples   Orlando   Palm Beach   Panama City   Pensacola   Port-Saint-Joe   Redington Beach   Sanibel Island   Santa Rosa Beach   Sarasota   Sea World   South Beach   St Augustine   St Pete Beach   St Petersburg   Sunny Isles   Tallahassee   Tampa   Treasure Island   Universal Studios   Vero Beach  

Florida Weather by Month

Check the weather for a particular month in Florida by selecting a month from the list below. Alternatively check which month usually has the Best Weather in Florida. If you are not sure where to go, why not try our Holiday Planner.

  · January
  · February
  · March
  · April
  · May
  · June
  · July
  · August
  · September
  · October
  · November
  · December
   
 
 

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