Worldwide climate classifications

The climate of North and Central Florida is humid subtropical. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the South Florida has a tropical climate. ^[1] There is a defined rainy season from June through September, which are the months most at risk of landfalling tropical cyclones. A wet season or rainy season is a Season in which the average Rainfall in a region is significantly increased A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding Between October and May, fronts regularly sweep through the state which keeps conditions dry, particularly over the peninsula. Towards the end of the dry season in the spring, brush fires become common statewide. The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the Tropics. In winters where an El Niño climate cycle exists, rainfall increases while temperatures are cooler statewide. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon Snow and sleet have been witnessed as early as November and as late as April, though most areas do not experience any frozen precipitation during a typical year. Easterly winds off the warm waters of the Gulf Stream running through the Florida Straits keep temperatures moderate across the southern peninsula year round. The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful warm and swift Atlantic Ocean current that The Straits of Florida, Florida Straits, or Florida Strait is a Strait located south-southeast of the North American Mainland, generally accepted

Pressure

The low pressure measured from an extratropical cyclone was 28. Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of Cyclones defined as synoptic scale low 84 inches/976. 7 hPa during the Storm of the Century (1993). The Storm of the Century, also known as the ’93 Superstorm, No-Name Hurricane, the White Hurricane, or the ( Great) Blizzard ^[2] From a tropical cyclone, the lowest pressure measured was 26. 35 inches/892 hPa in the Florida Keys during the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The Florida Keys are an Archipelago of about 1700 islands in the southeast United States. The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the strongest tropical cyclone during the 1935 Atlantic hurricane season. ^[3] The highest known pressure measured statewide was 30. 74 inches/1041. 1 hPa in Tallahassee on February 5, 1996 and January 4, 1979. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) ^[2]

Wind

Over the entire year, winds average out of the north across the panhandle and near Orlando, out of the west at Gainesville and Jacksonville, and generally out of the east elsewhere. Orlando is a major City in central Florida, USA and is the County seat of Orange County Florida. Gainesville is the largest City in and County seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States. During the summer months, the average wind pattern implies a surface ridge axis normally lies across central Florida, with easterly winds from Tampa southward and southwest winds across northern Florida, once Orlando is not considered for the distribution. The peak wind gust during the 1930 through 1997 period was 115 mph/100 knots at Miami International Airport during Hurricane Andrew. Miami International Airport is a public Airport located eight miles (13 km) northwest of the Central business district of Miami, in unincorporated Hurricane Andrew is the second most powerful and the last of three Category 5 hurricanes that made U ^[4] There are more tornados per square mile than any other state. ^[5] However, these average less energy and therefore fewer deaths and property damage than are experienced by some other states. Hurricanes typically spawn tornados in their wake.

African dust outbreaks

July is the month where the tradewinds south of the northward-moving subtropical ridge expand northwestward into Florida. The subtropical ridge is a large belt of high pressure situated around 30°N in the Northern Hemisphere and 30°S in the Southern Hemisphere. Dust from the Sahara moving around the southern periphery of the ridge moves into the state, suppressing rainfall and changing the sky from a blue to a white appearance and leads to an increase in red sunsets. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest Its presence negatively impacts air quality across the Southeastern United States during the summer, by adding to the count of airborne particulates. The Air Quality Index ( AQI) is a standardized indicator of the Air Quality in a given location The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region ^[6] Over 50% of the African dust that reaches the United States affects Florida. ^[7] Since 1970, dust outbreaks have worsened due to periods of drought in Africa. There is a large variability in the dust transport to the Caribbean and Florida from year to year. ^[8] Dust events have been linked to a decline in the health of coral reefs across the Caribbean and Florida, primarily since the 1970s. Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water ^[9]

Temperature

The climate regime for much of the state is humid subtropical (Koppen Cfa), though portions of the Gold Coast of southeast Florida, as well as all of the Florida Keys, qualify as tropical wet-and-dry (Koppen Aw). Key West is a city in Monroe County Florida, United States. The city encompasses Key West, the namesake island the part of Stock Island Melbourne is a city in Brevard County Florida, United States. Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the County seat of Escambia County. Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of Climate that corresponds to the categories Aw and As of the Köppen

Winter

On average, wintertime lows dip down to near 40 degrees Fahrenheit at Tallahassee in January to 65 °F (18 °C) in Key West while daytime highs range from 64 °F (18 °C) at Tallahassee to 75 °F (24 °C) at Key West. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Key West is a city in Monroe County Florida, United States. The city encompasses Key West, the namesake island the part of Stock Island ^[17][18] Predominant easterly winds across southern Florida keep temperates moderate during the winter, as the nearby Gulf Stream modifies cooler air moving in from the northeast and east. El Niño winters tend to be cooler due to increased cloud cover, but tend to have fewer freezes. ^[19]

Summer

During the summer, minima range from near 70 °F (21 °C) in northern Florida to near 80 °F (27 °C) in the Keys. High temperatures during the summer average in the lower 90s Fahrenheit statewide. ^[20] Relief from the heat during the summer comes in the form of afternoon and evening thunderstorm activity, late morning and afternoon sea breezes off the relatively cooler ocean, and during the passage of a tropical cyclone. The passage of a cold front through the state is rare during the warm season.

Records

The record high temperature for the state is 109 °F (43 °C) at Monticello in 1931. The record low temperature was −2 °F (−18. 9 °C) at Tallahassee in 1899. ^[21]

Fog

Like the remainder of the Southeastern United States, Florida has a winter maximum in dense fog conditions. Unlike the remainder of the region, the maximum in Florida contains roughly half of the annual occurrences per year, on average. Its summer minimum is also less than the remainder of the Southeast. There has been no noticeable increase or decrease in fog across Florida, over the past several decades. ^[22]

Liquid precipitation equivalent

Average Rainfall for Florida

Averages

Statewide, the highest rainfall amounts occur during the summer months. In northern Florida, there is a weak winter secondary maximum while statewide the driest months of the year are during the spring. ^[20] During El Niño, Florida sees greater rainfall between November and March. ^[19] Due to the lack of the secondary maximum across the peninsula, a distinct dry season is seen in the averages from winter through spring. This dry season provokes brush fires annually as temperatures rise during the late spring, before they fade during early June as the rainy season gets underway.

Extremes

Hurricane Easy's Rainfall across the United States

The heaviest rainfall to occur in 24 hours was measured in Yankeetown during Hurricane Easy (1950), 38. Hurricane Easy was the fifth tropical storm hurricane and major hurricane of the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. 70 inches/983 mm. This is also the highest known point storm total maximum related to any tropical cyclone which has impacted Florida,^[23] and by itself would be the highest known rainfall total for any month from any location within Florida. This rainfall amount remained the national 24-hour rainfall record until Tropical Storm Claudette (1979). Tropical Storm Claudette was a long living tropical storm that produced heavy rain across Puerto Rico and Texas in late July 1979 ^[24] Heavy rainfall events have fallen due to stalled fronts near the state as well, and occur during the March through May and October through November timeframe.

The wettest month recorded at a Florida climate station was during May 1891 when Gainesville, Florida received 30. Gainesville is the largest City in and County seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States. 90 inches/785 mm. ^[25] The wettest year on record for a Florida climate station was during 1879 when 127. 24 inches/3232 mm fell at Pensacola, Florida. Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the County seat of Escambia County. ^[26] The driest year for a climate station statewide was during 1974 when only 19. 99 inches/508 mm fell at Key West. ^[27]

The state of Florida is currently within a drought that began in November 2005, a month after Hurricane Wilma's passage through the state. Hurricane Wilma was the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. ^[28] The previous significant drought occurred in 2000, which was the state's driest year on record. ^[29]

Snowfall

Main article: Snow in Florida

The earliest recorded occurrence of snow or sleet occurred in 1774. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> ^[30] The most recent occurrence of snow was on January 3, 2008. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[31] The state record for snowfall is 5 inches (125 mm), set in northern Florida during January 1800. ^[32] The earliest in the fall snow or sleet occurred was during the Late November 2006 Nor'easter on November 21 across central Florida. The Late November 2006 Nor'easter was an Extratropical cyclone ( Nor'easter) that formed offshore the Southeast United States on November 20 ^[33] The latest occurrence of snow or sleet in the spring fell on April 8, 2007. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A trace of snowfall has been recorded as far south as Homestead, mainly during a January 19, 1977 event. Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays ^[34]

Tropical cyclones

Hurricane Wilma (2005)

See also: List of Florida hurricanes

The earliest a tropical cyclone has struck the sunshine state was the Groundhog Day Tropical Storm in 1952. The List of Florida hurricanes encompasses 485  tropical or Subtropical cyclones that affected the state of Florida. The Groundhog Day Storm was a February Tropical storm, the only February tropical or subtropical cyclone in recorded Atlantic history The latest impact was from a hurricane which struck near Tampa on December 1, 1925. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The strongest hurricane to strike Florida was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the strongest tropical cyclone during the 1935 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Easy in 1950 produced the wettest known point total from any tropical cyclone. ^[23] The record number of hurricane strikes on the state in one season is four in 2004. ^[35]

Affect of Southern Oscillation

El Nino has the following affect on Florida climate: above average rainfall, northern Florida is more susceptible to severe weather; below normal temperatures, increased number of low pressure systems in the Gulf of Mexico during the winter, and "almost always" reduces the frequency of storms and hurricanes. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon ^[36]

La Nina has the following affect: often dry conditions prevail in late fall, winter and early spring, increased risk of wildfires in spring and summer months, the temperatures average slightly above normal, and the chance of hurricane activity increases substantially. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon ^[36]

See also

• Climate
• Climatology
• List of wettest known tropical cyclones in Florida

References