The Climate Regime of South Florida

The coastal region of South Florida possess special characteristics. These include: a high and increasing rate of urbanization, high population density, conflicting human and ecological requirements, in addition to processes driven by storms, ecosystem redistribution or retreat and salt water intrusion,  among others. Learning how all these interact together aides in understanding the different climate controls of the 'Sunshine State.'



South Florida Coast Line
 Key issues include; water resources, human health, coastal impacts, tourism, agriculture, ecosystems and wildlife are all affected by the urban areas. (1)



One massive area located just over 10 miles from the Florida site is the Everglades. The Everglades Agrohydrology (EAH) model is working on a methodology to determine evapotranspiration, soil water distribution and crop parameters that is based on the recent 30 years of climate changes in Florida. This model will be used to make recommendations for best management practices and implementations of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration plan.

Temperatures were well above normal for April through out the state. The monthly average temperature in Fort Lauderdale at 79.1 degrees Fahrenheit was the warmest on record. Rainfall totals for April were generally below normal across the state. 

Historical temperature for climate division #FL-06-Lower East Coast station at Lat/Lon 26 04' N / 80 09' W has been fairly stable over the last thirty years. Illustrated below are the temperature trends for the months of January and July with there respective years. 

The exception---The 1984 NOR'EASTER
The 1984 dip in average temperature occurs on Thanksgiving Day. A deep extra tropical cyclone located off of the shore of Florida was cut off from the main band of the Westerlies, it spurred cyclogenesis in the Florida Straits which lead to the Nor'easter at this unusual latitude!!!!!! (3)

Finally, the Koppen-Geiger climate classification for South Florida (and for much of the state) is humid subtropical ( Koppen, Cfa). The exception to this is the Florida Keys that qualify as 'tropical wet and dry" (Koppen, Aw). Additionally, the Florida state receives between 2,800 and 3,200 hours of sunshine annually with an ho effect on climate cycles.

The Koppen Geiger is one of the World's most famous maps! It presents the world's climate conditions as they relate to one another. (4)

One last climograph of the Fort Lauderdale area. This graphical picture represents the beautiful weather of South Florida with consistent temperatures throughout the entire year!!!




1) US Climate Change Science Program/US Global Change Research Program
2) NOAA, NWS
3) US Department of Commerce Daily Weather Maps; November 19-25 1984
4) http/www.ces.fau.edu/climate-change/icce
Journal of American Water resource Association, modeling evapotransiration in a sub-tropical climate