Would you rather... cold winter or humid summer (Miami, Orlando: homes, school)

[letsgobrandon84]

i dont know if this is right place to ask but here we go...


for the record, I love the Boca Raton area. We go there as a "US" vacation getaway. Drive down from New York every winter, and I'm hoping to up that to once a winter and once in summer. (although so far I have not been there in summer as the summers here up north are sometimes too nice to leave.) The vibe in Boca seems to be perfect for my family (perfect for me). Wife loves it too. I can imagine spending a weekend day going to the beach, relaxing and eating something good at home while watching TV, then booking it like a madman on the highway - used to that up here. Drivers are bad in FL, i get it, but drivers up north are so aggressive that it puts 2 to 2 together down in FL. I'll fit right in I believe from that perspective, just have to switch the car for a white one.

Anyway... question is, how do people do with the humidity? Is it worse than the cold up north? I've calculated below in NY:

Jan- Brick
Feb - Straight Brick - Chicago style cold - could probably walk across the East River as opposed to ferry.
March- Brick
April - This is far from 'Spring'. Deceptively Cold 40-50s, but technically can go for a walk in a forrest enclave.
May - 2 weeks of spring and then straight to swamp/heat wave.
June - Swamp
July - Hell, but not the type in FL. If its 95F and 90% humid in Orlando, its 87F and 85% humid here in NY. At night it cools down to 78/80 with 100% humidity. I don't need to water the grass and my lawn is lush green.
Aug - Hell, all the farts, gases, fumes from new Jersey armpit state over to NY/LI. Beaches do cool you down though.
September - Actual Summer
Oct - Actual Summer
Nov - 2 weeks of fall max then straight to the 20s/30s. Last week it was 26 degrees with feels like 18. Happy Thanksgiving by the way.
Dec- Really fking cold. Christmas without snow, polar vortex smashes through down to South Carolina and has no plans on leaving. Forget about doing anything Dec - March, dont even think about the idea of enjoying the outdoors.


Looking at it from the nice side, in NY, May through October is great. That is 6 months out of 12. Then there is half of april and half of november that is somewhat bearable so we're at 7 livable months outside. The 5 other months, mid Nov to mid March, it feels like the Purge. Nobody outside, heat has left earth. 8 hours of sunlight per day. Call it a flashlight instead as there is NO heat coming from it at this time of the year. The concrete on the roads at this times of year looks like a greek titan walked all over and shattered them along the way. It's not 'stay at home mode' how I imagine it to be in FL, it's the Purge. I can imagine in FL, especially in Boca, you get 85-90F with high humidity, but at least its green outside. You guys get lots of rain, let me ask you, do you know what rain feels like when its 33/34f degrees, just above the freezing point? I would rather have 0 degree hail hit my head.

I hope this doesnt come off as a rant, but aside hurricanes (andrew), it looks as if Boca hits the jackpot. It's about 30% cheaper from what I can see compared to where I live up north and im thinking that we'd only lose 2 months, July and August, out of the year and deal with Sept.June in a better fashion. Has anyone been to both and compared? I plan on going this summer to check it myself.

[poncho62]

Not a huge fan of the frigid cold, but I hate humidity just as much, Spring and fall are great here. Southern Ontario.

[Taz22]

Humidity in south Florida in summer makes it really hard to do any outdoor activities. A beach with a breeze coming off the water is one thing, but forget about inland.

We recently moved to Naples and I’m getting the outdoor planting that I want done, well before the heat hits. Even yesterday, I was planting some shrubs and the fence guy was putting in fence posts. Both of us had sweat running down our faces and it’s almost December. Mosquitoes don’t take a winter break either.

You deal with summer the same way you deal with it in Phoenix, stay indoors with the air conditioner. Rain does cool things down for awhile, then the heat and humidity come back.

Even though it’s humid, south Florida is beautiful, and my yard is turning into a tropical paradise, there are tons of birds, geckos and honey bees. I’ll take that over an icy New York winter or the summers where we used to live in Washington. Everything turns brown and ugly and the heat is bad for two or three months. Florida is green twelve months a year and that’s hard to beat.

[letsgobrandon84]

Originally Posted by Taz22

Humidity in south Florida in summer makes it really hard to do any outdoor activities. A beach with a breeze coming off the water is one thing, but forget about inland.

We recently moved to Naples and I’m getting the outdoor planting that I want done, well before the heat hits. Even yesterday, I was planting some shrubs and the fence guy was putting in fence posts. Both of us had sweat running down our faces and it’s almost December. Mosquitoes don’t take a winter break either.

You deal with summer the same way you deal with it in Phoenix, stay indoors with the air conditioner. Rain does cool things down for awhile, then the heat and humidity come back.

Even though it’s humid, south Florida is beautiful, and my yard is turning into a tropical paradise, there are tons of birds, geckos and honey bees. I’ll take that over an icy New York winter or the summers where we used to live in Washington. Everything turns brown and ugly and the heat is bad for two or three months. Florida is green twelve months a year and that’s hard to beat.

Green all year round is always nice. I’m seeing that Florida is unbearable for just two months whereas it’s unbearable for 5 months up north. When you think about it, that’s three months extra a year.

[Lincolnian]

The heat and humidity of summer in south Florida requires adjusting your daily activities. I'm out and about walking and on the beach just past sunrise and/or after 4 pm. I avoid the direct sun between 10 am and 4 pm. Most of my time is spent near the ocean which usually has a nice breeze making the heat more bearable. In my opinion, from November to April the southern Florida weather is ideal if you like to spend time outdoors. However, I do like my winter skiing fix. In the spring and summer New England has plenty to do but I still travel south for the Florida beaches and the warm ocean temps.

I'm not ready to make the either or choice. We downsized a few years ago and now split the time between smaller homes. As long as airfares remain low I will continue to travel between New England and Florida year round.

[letsgobrandon84]

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

The heat and humidity of summer in south Florida requires adjusting your daily activities. I'm out and about walking and on the beach just past sunrise and/or after 4 pm. I avoid the direct sun between 10 am and 4 pm. Most of my time is spent near the ocean which usually has a nice breeze making the heat more bearable. In my opinion, from November to April the southern Florida weather is ideal if you like to spend time outdoors. However, I do like my winter skiing fix. In the spring and summer New England has plenty to do but I still travel south for the Florida beaches and the warm ocean temps.

I'm not ready to make the either or choice. We downsized a few years ago and now split the time between smaller homes. As long as airfares remain low I will continue to travel between New England and Florida year round.

Kids go to school remotely?

[Lassiter_Chaykin]

The weather is awful in Miami. Deadly sun and humidity, no one speaking English......but it is better than shoveling snow.

[NOLA2SGF]

I am retired, could live anywhere I want, and I live in New Orleans. You can probably guess my answer. I am one of the few who love the weather here.

[wrat]

wherever you go there you are, most people are only as happy as they choose to be

[letsgobrandon84]

Originally Posted by Lassiter_Chaykin

The weather is awful in Miami. Deadly sun and humidity, no one speaking English......but it is better than shoveling snow.

2q's

1 - how many months is it 'deadly sun and humidity'? is it just July/Aug with an uncomfortable june/sept? or is it deadly from June - Sep? Up here in north, it is freezing cold from mid Nov to mid April. Thats a LOT of time i cant be outdoors, not even for 30 minutes.



2- assuming its just as hot for same time in FL as it is freezing for same time in North, which would you rather live in?