Geographical location
According to abbreviationfinder, Florida is a state on the east coast of the USA between the Atlantic Ocean (to the east) and the Gulf of Mexico (south and west). The area consists of the Florida Peninsula and the so-called Florida Panhandle on the mainland.
At its southern end, the peninsula flows into a chain of scattered islands, the so-called Florida Keys. This chain of islands is connected by more than 40 bridges and can therefore also be accessed by car. Key West is the southernmost point of the USA, from here it is only 90 miles to the coast of Cuba.
Around 18% of the total area (137,380 km²) of Florida consists of water; the US states of Alabama and Georgia are the immediate neighbors to the north.
Florida has been one of the most popular travel destinations in the USA for many years. In addition to the Florida Keys, Miami Beach, the amusement park metropolis Orlando, Saint Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale and the Everglades swamps are hotspots in the Sunshine State. The state capital is Tallahassee.
Climate in Florida
No state in the USA experiences more sunny days than Florida, which is why it rightly calls itself the “Sunshine State”. It is over 300 days on average in all regions, some places such as St. Petersburg and Clearwater even advertise with up to 361 sunny days a year. The summer is somewhat softened by the breeze from the sea and even the winters remain pleasantly warm at around 25 ° C (during the day).
No wonder millions of domestic and foreign visitors come to the sunny vacation spots of the southeastern United States every year. Nevertheless, the Florida climate can be divided into two different climate zones: The north-west of the state can be described as subtropical, while the remaining part has a tropical-humid climate. The north is therefore always a little cooler.
In summer Florida is occupied by the rainy season between May and September, which nevertheless brings up to 10 hours of sunshine a day and also has numerous days with the best weather to offer. The temperatures in July and August reach hot and humid peaks above 33 degrees, between June and September most of the precipitation falls in Florida.
Due to the special location of the peninsula, Florida can also be affected by tropical thunderstorms and hurricanes in summer. The greatest danger of these cyclones lies in the period August to October. Extremely severe hurricanes rarely occur in Florida, but stronger winds and tropical storms with thunderstorms and heavy rain are more common in summer.
When to go to Florida
Basically, the state of Florida in the USA is worth a trip all year round. The so-called hurricane season (June to November) and the rainy season in summer beckon with low prices and cannot be avoided in general. The sun shows up again and again, many holidaymakers are even spared any storms during a two-week trip.
Nevertheless, we would of course like to limit the risks for our readers as much as possible. We therefore recommend the period from December to mid-May as the best travel time for Florida. There are fantastic conditions for a beach holiday, for example, in April, which we would particularly like to recommend to you. The water temperatures are at least 22 degrees (lowest value in January) suitable for bathing all year round.
The fact that the rainy season is by no means a “no go” is also shown by the following fact: Most Americans visit Florida mainly in the summer, with the absolute peak season from May to September. If you accept the increased risk of rain and storms, you can sunbathe on the well-frequented beaches and experience great holiday fun on most days with a water temperature of up to 31 degrees in summer.
Optimal travel time for the regions
In the following overview you can see the best travel time depending on the region (Florida).
| Place | Best travel time |
| Miami | January, February, March, April, November and December |
| Jacksonville | March, April and May |
| Florida Keys | January, February, March, April, May, November and December |
| Tampa | March, April, May, October and November |
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Miami (Florida)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 26 ° C | 28 ° C | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 32 ° C | 32 ° C | 31 ° C | 29 ° C | 27 ° C | 25 ° C |
| Night temperature | 15 ° C | 16 ° C | 18 ° C | 20 ° C | 22 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 22 ° C | 19 ° C | 16 ° C |
| Water temperature | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 25 ° C | 28 ° C | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 28 ° C | 25 ° C | 23 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 51 | 53 | 61 | 72 | 158 | 237 | 145 | 193 | 194 | 143 | 68 | 47 |
| Rainy days | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 5 |
| Hours of sunshine | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Sunrise | 7:10 | 6:55 | 7:30 | 7:00 | 6:35 | 6:30 | 6:40 | 6:55 | 7:05 | 7:20 | 6:40 | 7:00 |
| Sunset | 17:50 | 18:15 | 7:30 p.m. | 19:45 | 20:00 | 20:15 | 20:15 | 20:00 | 19:25 | 18:55 | 17:35 | 17:30 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Miami is 24.4 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (28.2 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 19.6 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Miami is 31 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1422 mm on 108 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of June, August and September are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 624 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Miami.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sunshine is 8.6 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following major towns are nearby and have similar climates: Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Miramar, and Miami Gardens.
Sights and highlights
Florida is arguably the most entertaining of all states in the USA and offers an incredible range of activities for every taste. Disneyland, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom in Orlando on the space shuttle at Cape Canaveral to the beautiful beaches in St. Petersburg, Miami Beach or the Florida Keys: The 27th US state is a holiday paradise for young and old.
Nature lovers explore the mysterious swamps of the Everglades and Big Cypress, for example, while movie fans wander through Universal Studios with big eyes. Motorsport fans marvel at the hustle and bustle at the Daytona race track, bathing beauties enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in the world at Siesta Beach. Boredom? A word that there is no travel time in Florida!
Florida weather in March, April and May
Average daily temperatures between 23 ° C and 31 ° C can be expected over the next three months. It gets warmest in May in Tampa, while March is noticeably cooler in Jacksonville.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 19-28 ° C. This is good weather for a great time on the beach and in the water.
In March it rains for 4 (Florida Keys) to 7 days (Jacksonville), in April for 3 (Florida Keys) to 5 days (Miami) and in May for 5 (Tampa) to 9 days (Miami), depending on the region.
In the period from March to May the sun shines on average between 8 and 11 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in April in Florida Keys, but with less sun you have to get by in Jacksonville in March.
