[spring09]

My family and I are considering moving to Gainesville. Can anybody please give me some positive information about Gainesville. Is it a nice place to raise a family? I have two boys 6 and 3. Are the schools better in one area than the other? I hear a lot of negative posts about the humidity. Is it really that bad as everyone sais? Is it 9mths out of the year? Does Gainesville get a lot of hurricane and tornadoe weather? That worries me the most. I'm from Wisconsin and we're just really sick of the cold, below freezing temps and the snow, but after hearing all the negatives about the humidity just wondering if I should look elsewhere? Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank You!

[yamahastar]

I think Gainesville is a very nice place for families. There are lots of activities that are family oriented. You can read the local newspaper - the Gainesville Sun - on line and it will give you an idea about the community. Schools are good, I think because of the influence of the University of Florida. Then there is the humidity. Florida is surrounded on 3 sides by water and there is water underneath the state and running throughout. Compared to the northern-midwest, its always humid here, but more so during the warm months, and that would be about 9 months out of the year. I've lived here since 1960 and I've still not gotten used to it. BUT, everywhere has SOME thing that is undesireable - just like you have VERY cold weather, we have heat and humidity. We have hurricanes and lightening and tornadoes. If you go west of the Rocky Mountains to escape tornadoes, you have earthquakes and mud slides and fires. There is always something. Visit Florida during the summer. You'll get a taste of the humidity. But there's more to Florida than the humidity. And we have air conditioning and sweet iced tea!

[spring09]

Thanks for the nice, positive reply. Can you just tell me does the Gainesville area get a lot of tornadoes/hurricanes? I just freak out when I hear tornadoes and knowing down south you guys don't have basements in your homes, what do you do when one comes? So in your honest opinion would you recommend Florida a place to move or not so much? I just don't want to up root my family and then regret it.

[liketotalk]

I have lived in and around G'ville for 15 years. I have never seen a tornado here (thank God). They can occur here but it is rare IMO. I have been through two hurricanes that occured here in the same season. They were less than a CAT 1 when they got here. You have to remember that G'ville isn't on the coast.

The humidity is a horror. I have never gotten used to it but tolerate it.

It seems like it starts to cool down here end of october...I would say it's about 4 months of intense heat and humidity.

Check out neighboring towns while you're searching.

Newberry
Alachua
High Springs

All a few minutes drive to Gainesville.

[Gatornation]

Average Weather for Gainesville, FL - Temperature and Precipitation

May, June, July, August, Sept are pretty hot. The rest of the months are great weather wise though.