How is the weather in SF? I know it's warm..... but (Fort Lauderdale: house, school)

[Twiggy1011]

I am moving very soon to Ft Lauderdale. I have done my research on Florida's and SF's weather, however, I would like to know first hand how it really is? How is the hurricane season? Are you truly having to evacuate a lot? How does that work? Like, I live in the Pacific NW, and we have nothing really to worry about... No hurricanes, no tornadoes, no earthquakes, just Rain... so, I really do not know what to expect living in such a place where it can possibly be a little overwhelming for a newcomer like myself...
How cold does it really get in the winter? are we talking jeans and a sweatshirt cold, or do you ever have to layer on clothing like we do here?
What about the "rainy" season... Does it rain for days and days with no break, or do you get like a day with rain and thunderstorms and then nice the next?
Just wanting to get more of a "True" feeling of the weather.. Please, and thank you in advance for your replies

[butercup]

Hi Twiggy, It almost never rains for days, unless there is a tropical thing coming through when it will rain off and on for 2 days straight. Usually nice, then thunderstorm, then steamy. And that is mostly summer (which here is April-October). In the summer you will often get an afternoon thunderstorm almost every day.

The heat depends on your tolerance for heat. It's really hot and humid all 24 hours of the day from June-October.

I never need a sweatshirt during the day, ever. At the most a hoodie. At night you will sometimes need a sweatshirt and jeans during the winter, but that's it. I don't own a coat for down here. Some people are less tolerant and break out the mittens when it's 55.

[compelled to reply]

Hurricanes are not too common (every 5 years or so) and evacuations generally only occur in low lying areas near the coast. These evacuations usually involve sitting in a bit of traffic and going to a shelter further west or going to a friend/family house in a non-evacuation zone. The issue is that we really never know when the "big one" will come that really destroys everything, and we generally only receive a 24-48 hour warning before hurricanes arrive, although the typical hurricane will cause only slight damage and knock power out for a couple days. It is a major cause of anxiety for the Florida and the rest of the Atlantic and Gulf coast states from May to October.

Our "cold" weather dry season is not severe like it is in the Northwest. Typical for November-April would be highs in the mid to upper 70s and lows in the lower 60s with almost infinite sunshine and very little rain. Our winter weather is not dissimilar to the Los Angeles area. We do have "cold snaps", but highs will rarely go below 60 degrees and lows rarely lower than 40 when this happens, although lower temperatures have occurred before. In much rarer cases, we have had a few full out PNW style days where highs barley made it above 50 and it drizzled all day, with 2010 being the last time we had weather like that. We can also have some 88-90 degree summer like days, which has happened more than once year.

The "wet" season lasts from May-October. It is hot and actually pretty sunny as well. Highs are from 87 to 93 degrees with heat index above 100. Lows can be anywhere from a relieving 72 degrees to above 80 degrees, with almost no deviation beyond that. Generally, the hotter the daytime reading, the less humid it is, so an 87 degree day will barley feel different from a 92 degree day. Afternoon thunderstorms occur most evenings, but you may or may not be affected on a given day. There is also somewhat of a "mini dry season" in July and you may get a stretch of just plain hot days without storms. The rain aspect season is well described by buttercup. It does rain nearly every day from June to October, but usually in the form of passing thunderstorms that last for about 30 minutes or so. Before and after a typical passing thunderstorm, there is plenty of sunshine. Butercup explained the exception to the rule in the form of tropical waves or low pressure systems.

There is no real fall/spring season. The "wet" and "dry" season just kind of blend into each other.

[NowSoFlorida]

No you do not have to evacuate a lot for hurricanes. I have lived here for 4 and a half years the last two a few blocks from the beach and have not had to evacuate once. I am in zone 1 which would mean the first mandatory site and out shelter to go to is a school about 1.5 miles inland from the beach. Normally the worst evacuations are in Key West. They are in a worse area and have only one road to get out from. Basically if you do have to evacuate in Fort Lauderdale you can just stay at a friends house that is not in the evacuation zone or go to a shelter.

In the summer it can rain every day, but it's usually just a passing shower that will clear up in 10 minutes. We don't get too many days in a row of gloomy rain.

It can get cold in the winter. This winter has been really mild and I haven't even had to use the space heater. A few years ago it did get into the mid 30's overnight a few days and we did have frost warnings for crops. Usually when that happens it's only when a cold front comes in for a few days and during the day it will usually be 10 or 20 degrees warmer during the day.

[thatboybigbFL]

During the winter---usually high 78 low 60, lately this March we got a two week cold gust meaning 50's and 60's nite time 40's maybe a cple times, no rain in winter, its great

Summer--hot hot hot during day, but every afternoon nice shower, i like the rain in summer except every once in a while it will just rain rain rian and never stop, it raind for a month str8 last may, but thats not normal, summer is not as bad as u might think cuz the rain clouds cover up the sun and u get coastal drifts

Fall and Spring---pretty warm and sunny, a lil rain here and there

only thing u need to layer is sunscreen, you will not be used to this sun, it is right on u close in daytime

[thatboybigbFL]

Summer--hot hot hot during day, but every afternoon nice shower, i like the rain in summer except every once in a while it will just rain rain rian and never stop, it raind for a month str8 last may, but thats not normal, summer is not as bad as u might think cuz the rain clouds cover up the sun and u get coastal drifts

let me add tho that when the sun is out in summer, which is every day until it rains, it is no joke, and also very very humid at nite,,,,,,,air conditioning a mus, but one summer i had to live out my car with no ac and i managed and wasnt as bad as i thought

[Nolefan34]

South FL has 2 types of weather. The Summer weather is hot, humid, sticky, and we get daily afternoon thunderstorms that last about 45 minutes-1 hour that dump a ton of rainfall in a short amount of time. Then the storms recede in a matter of minutes and it gets hot and sunny outside again until the sun goes down around 9PM at night. This weather remains fairly constant without break for 7-8 months from April through October.

Winter here usually goes from November through March. A South FL winter means the temps drop about 15-20 degrees and the humidity disappears. Temps average around a high of 80 and low of 65, with only slight variation. It is absolutely beautiful here in the winter and there is nowhere else in America where the weather is so warm and good during these months.

Hurricane season goes from roughly June through November. It has to do with ocean temps, not air temps. The water is warmest during June-November, and storms brew in warmer water. How often you have to evacuate depends on several factors and differs year to year. Where you live makes a huge difference. If you live on the beach, you'll have to evacuate anytime there is a major storm threat. If you live several miles inland, you'll almost never have to evacuate.

In terms of clothing, people dress extremely lightly here. I know in the Pacific NW it is common to see flannel shirts. You almost never see that here. People usually expose a lot of skin. Guys where t-shirts or polo shirts in casual situations and maybe a longsleeve button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up during evening events. Women where shorts and tanktops or short dresses or skirts. You rarely ever see people wearing sweaters or turtleneck shirts. In the winter months, we get a few days here and there where it dips down into the 40's at night and you see people bust out jackets. It is only a matter of a few weeks per year you see this type of dress.

[NowSoFlorida]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

In terms of clothing, people dress extremely lightly here..

When I lived where we had 4 seasons I never wore shorts, now I wear shorts all year long.

[Hawaii4evr]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

South FL has 2 types of weather. The Summer weather is hot, humid, sticky, and we get daily afternoon thunderstorms that last about 45 minutes-1 hour that dump a ton of rainfall in a short amount of time. Then the storms recede in a matter of minutes and it gets hot and sunny outside again until the sun goes down around 9PM at night. This weather remains fairly constant without break for 7-8 months from April through October.

Winter here usually goes from November through March. A South FL winter means the temps drop about 15-20 degrees and the humidity disappears. Temps average around a high of 80 and low of 65, with only slight variation. It is absolutely beautiful here in the winter and there is nowhere else in America where the weather is so warm and good during these months.

Hurricane season goes from roughly June through November. It has to do with ocean temps, not air temps. The water is warmest during June-November, and storms brew in warmer water. How often you have to evacuate depends on several factors and differs year to year. Where you live makes a huge difference. If you live on the beach, you'll have to evacuate anytime there is a major storm threat. If you live several miles inland, you'll almost never have to evacuate.

In terms of clothing, people dress extremely lightly here. I know in the Pacific NW it is common to see flannel shirts. You almost never see that here. People usually expose a lot of skin. Guys where t-shirts or polo shirts in casual situations and maybe a longsleeve button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up during evening events. Women where shorts and tanktops or short dresses or skirts. You rarely ever see people wearing sweaters or turtleneck shirts. In the winter months, we get a few days here and there where it dips down into the 40's at night and you see people bust out jackets. It is only a matter of a few weeks per year you see this type of dress.

Hawaii is slightly warmer, and doesn't even get the cold snaps.

[Twiggy1011]

Originally Posted by Hawaii4evr

Hawaii is slightly warmer, and doesn't even get the cold snaps.

I wold LOVE to live in Hawaii... Just the thought that it's an "island" makes me a bit claustrophobic... would like to visit one day.