Welcome to the first blog in the Florida 101 series! This series of blogs will be geared towards introductions to topics that are important to understand when living in coastal Florida. Whether you are one of the 1,000 new residents who moves to Florida every day or have been living in Florida for your whole life, we hope you will learn more about coastal living in our state. Some of the topics you can look forward to in coming weeks and months include Florida weather patterns (today!), tides, waves and beach dynamics, shoreline stabilization, beach safety, hurricanes, storm surge, estuaries, fishing and boating in Florida, algae, protected species such as manatees and sea turtles, and tips on being a Florida-friendly resident.
Temperature
Although often people think of Florida and think “tropical,” only south Florida has tropical weather, and the rest of Florida is considered sub-tropical.
Here in Volusia County located on the east coast of Central Florida, the coolest weather is in January, with an average of 59 degrees, and hottest in August, with an average of 83 degrees (data source: NOAA)
In northern Florida, winter freezes are much more common and affect which types of plants you can grow. Make sure that you choose plants for your yard that are the appropriate hardiness zone for your area to help ensure they survive and thrive!
Water temperatures and the Florida Current
The ocean temperatures are affected by how far north or south you are located, but they are also affected by the Florida Current. Florida Current brings warm weather front the south coast of Florida to the north, connecting to the Gulf Stream. It is only about 10 miles offshore in Miami, but about 60 miles offshore from Flagler Beach. This contributes to how much warmer the water in Mami stays in the winter compared to beaches north of Cape Canaveral.
Rainfall
Florida has seasonal differences in rain with a dry season in the winter months and a rainy season in the summer. The monthly rainfall in Volusia County averages 2-3 inches in the winter months (November-April) and 6-7 inches in the summer months (June-September), with May and October being transition periods. The whole state sees a similar seasonal pattern, although there are regional differences. South Florida and the gulf have much higher rainfall averages in the summer months, with 8-10 inches of rain per month! However, northern Florida has smaller seasonal ranges. Find your closest station for average rain and temperature with NOAA’s US Climate Normals Quick Access tool.
Sea breezes and afternoon thunderstorms
Along the coast you will find that the mornings typically have light, offshore winds, and then by midday stronger onshore winds develop. These afternoon winds are called a sea breeze and develop due to the warmer land onshore which heats up more quickly than the air over the ocean and causes a low-pressure system. The cooler, denser air over the ocean moves onshore to fill in the space left by the rising low-pressure system. When this warm air rises and condenses, it also leads to our famous Florida summer afternoon thunderstorms that seem to pop up out of nowhere!
Thanks for learning with us today and be on the lookout for the next Florida 101 lesson on tides!
But are the ocean temperatures really over 100 degrees? The temperatures were obtained from a buoy at Manatee Bay just north of the Florida Keys where the 101.1 F was recorded. Keep in mind, these are waters in the Everglades, not ocean waters near the beach, Lowry explains.
Adapting to Florida's weather is a natural process known as acclimatization. This adjustment is crucial for newcomers to ensure their well-being in the Sunshine State's intense heat. Over a span of 7 to 14 days, gradually increase heat exposure while staying hydrated and taking breaks.
The reading from a buoy off Florida this week was stunning: 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit, or just over 38 Celsius, a possible world record for sea surface temperatures and a stark indication of the brutal marine heat wave that's threatening the region's sea life.
As a general rule, the water anywhere in Florida will be warm enough to swim between April and October. During the cooler months, the farther south you go, the warmer it will be. Fort Lauderdale, Miami, the Keys, Marco Island and Naples will have the warmest water during the winter.
1931 – Well there is no denying that summer is here in Florida! The highest recorded temperature in Florida was recorded at Monticello in Jefferson County on this date. The humid subtropical climate of the small town reached a peak of 109 °F / 43 °C.
Pushing to the point of heat exhaustion will hurt, not help, your heat tolerance. Typically, acclimatization requires at least two hours of heat exposure per day (which can be broken into two, 1-hour periods). The body will acclimatize to the level of work demanded of it. Simply being in a hot place is not sufficient.
There are many different approaches to heat acclimation. Dr. Minson recommends starting under supervision with 20- to 30-minute sessions at around 95°F and gradually building up to 60-minute sessions at 104°F.
Florida's climatologist breaks down this past year and what to expect in 2024. Floridians experienced record-breaking heat this past summer. And for the past three years, Tampa has either tied or set a new record for the number of "hot days" where the temperature reached 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Portions of the Florida peninsula have been above or below sea level at least four times. As glaciers of ice in the north expanded and melted, the Florida peninsula emerged and submerged. When the sea level was lowest, the land area of Florida was much larger than it is now.
A data collecting buoy in Florida recorded an ocean temperature at Manatee Bay, Florida, of over 101 degrees on Monday. It's one of the hottest ocean temperatures ever noted, but it's unclear whether it will be considered a record because the measurement came in a murky part of the ocean.
The Gulf coast also gets colder during the winter, whereas the Atlantic coast of Florida stays warm all year. If you're looking to go swimming throughout the colder months, the east coast would be more suitable, he said.
1. The Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are the ultimate Florida boating destination for gin-clear water. Without it, the Keys wouldn't be the tourist destination it is.
Studies show that a temperature of 52 degrees C (125 degrees F) can cause a full-thickness skin burn in 2 minutes and a temperature of 54 degrees C (130 degrees F) can result in a full-thickness skin burn in 30 seconds.
On July 24, 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded a water temperature reading of 101.1 °F (38.4 °C) at Station MNBF1 in Manatee Bay, Florida. Manatee Bay is located between the Southern tip of Miami Dade County and Key Largo.
at 100 degree celcius, water exists in both the liquid state as well as in gaseous state. This is special condition because 100 degree celcius is the boiling point of water and as well as liquefaction temperature of the water vapour.
South Beach (Miami) sea temperatures peak in the range 29 to 30°C (84 to 86°F) on around the 10th of August and are at their coldest on about the 10th of February, in the range 22 to 24°C (72 to 75°F). Year round warm sea temperatures at South Beach (Miami) climb to their highest in early to mid August.
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