Weather? (Tampa, Orlando: tornado, price, mall)

[It'sMe!]

My fiance and I are considering a move from NY to Tampa/Pasco County. A big deciding factor, however, is the weather. We're concerned with hurricanes and tornadoes - how hard do these areas get hit? Would we be better off in the Orlando area or further north in Fl? Thank you!!! :-)

[TB Fla]

I think youll be safe. Tornados rarely hit, but when they do, there small and weak. The Tampa area seems to be in a hurricane bubble. The last Major hurricane that threatened was Charley, and that ended up doing more damage in Orlando.

[annaegel]

I agree with the TB Fla. We have wicked summer storms, but there has not been a major hurricane in years. The strongest tornado in Floridas record were catagory 3. We have mostly catagory 1. There was some bad storms recently where a tornado blew threw. It knocked down trees and tore apart some pool cages. Florida has more tornado's than tornado alley. However, they are including waterspouts. We just don't get the massive tornados that happens in the midwest.

[mquintana]

There hasn't been a big hurricane to hit here in many years. We had a cat. 1 about 4-5 yrs. ago-a couple of them, but they cut through another part of Fl. first so it was weakened. We rarely have issues here.

[saltzman143]

I do not know whether this is the norm (a normal year), but I have been monitoring Tampa Bay weather since mid-October. It seems as though the weather has been fantastic, never warmer than low 80s and never colder than upper 30s (at night), and very low humidity; gorgeous sunshine too, very little rain (there is a drought, though).

I know that the weather will eventually get hot and humid and stormy, but it seems to me that is a small price to pay for 6-7 months of glorious weather. After all, it gets hot and humid and stormy in most other parts of the US from early May to late September too.

If I am wrong about the climate, I hope someone will correct me.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by saltzman143

I do not know whether this is the norm (a normal year), but I have been monitoring Tampa Bay weather since mid-October. It seems as though the weather has been fantastic, never warmer than low 80s and never colder than upper 30s (at night), and very low humidity; gorgeous sunshine too, very little rain (there is a drought, though).

I know that the weather will eventually get hot and humid and stormy, but it seems to me that is a small price to pay for 6-7 months of glorious weather. After all, it gets hot and humid and stormy in most other parts of the US from early May to late September too.

If I am wrong about the climate, I hope someone will correct me.

Yes, the weather has been GORGEOUS since October! Honestly, so many people really over exaggerate Florida's "bad weather." For the past 3 years at least it has been especially nice for the majority of the year - almost like southern California. There are only about 3-4 months of really hot humid weather, and even then, for me only two (August and September) when I find it really uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, however, the drought is part of the reason the weather has been so nice. Hopefully we will get a lot of rain this summer to help that out, at the same time the rain makes things cooler.

[philly750]

i just stay indoors, at the ocean , or mall for the 2 hot months, otherwise like you said, its absolutly fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BucFan]

I don't think anyone can guarantee that Tampa won't get hit by a hurricane. I don't really think there's any special geographic reason why it hasn't been hit.

[BradS1]

It was apparently hit by a monster back in the day that split the land created Caldesi Island. I don't remember when or what the name of it was, but that was my little history lesson from the dude operating the ferry to Caledesi.

I'm not a local, but I have to imagine some fierce T-Storms coming through here. About 2 weeks ago it was basically thundering and lighting all day. A few tornadoes touched down and it isn't even summer yet. I'm a bit of a weather geek and the local news has some really cool 3-d modeling of the storms. They were 50,000 feet high! Just imagine when the humidity and moisture really cranks up and a cold front moves through to clash with it

[goi_cuon]

I believe the last direct hit was in 1921

FAQ : HURRICANES, TYPHOONS, AND TROPICAL CYCLONES