Why are winters so cold in sub-tropical and tropical Australia? (record, temp)
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I think Miami is a proper tropical place, despite it being affected by strong cold fronts no more than a few times a year. It always warms up the next day or 2 back to around average. The way I see it, if a place has coconut palm trees growing in it, then it's a proper tropical place. Coconut palms are not cold hardy, and don't grow further north than Lake Okeechobee, unless if it's right along the Atlantic coast.
I was wondering that, it was weird that Cairns was so cold at night during the winter. Puerto Rico's coldest nights are 21°C but Cairns is around like, 15°C. Daytimes are also somewhat warmer in San Juan, about 3°C warmer. Darwin is the only city in Australia where you'll find Caribbean temps, according to my research. Have you been up there? Is it more tropical than Queensland, vegetation wise?
Did some looking up, Cairns averaged 17°C lows this past July, while San Juan averaged 21°C for lows in January. Just to make sure, July is the coldest month in Australia, and not June or August?
I think coconuts can grow in certain subtropical climates but not optimally eg: Bermuda and perhaps around Brisbane in QLD.
I think Puerto Rico is warmer than almost all of Tropical Australia because it's a small island surrounded by a really warm sea whereas Australia is a huge landmass that is mostly semiarid to arid which means greater diurnal range.
I think Miami is a proper tropical place, despite it being affected by strong cold fronts no more than a few times a year. It always warms up the next day or 2 back to around average. The way I see it, if a place has coconut palm trees growing in it, then it's a proper tropical place. Coconut palms are not cold hardy, and don't grow further north than Lake Okeechobee, unless if it's right along the Atlantic coast.
Don't forget the lake micro-climates south of about Winter Haven, the larger lake fronts are very, very warm (possibly as warm as coastal South Florida).
Like deneb said, there are large mature (fruiting) coconut palms in Bermuda, which is probably the northernmost occurrence of non-stunted coconut palms in the world. There are also a few large ones in Madeira, not sure if they fruit or not, they don't look as good as the ones in Bermuda. Excluding these islands, coconut palms can generally grow south/north of about 28*N/S (Byron Bay in Australia, St. Petersburg and Cocoa Beach in FL, Durban in South Africa, and coastal Santa Catarina state in Brazil). This boundary is pushed a a bit south in China and S. Texas/N. Mexico because of continental cold fronts.
Don't forget the lake micro-climates south of about Winter Haven, the larger lake fronts are very, very warm (possibly as warm as coastal South Florida).
Like deneb said, there are large mature (fruiting) coconut palms in Bermuda, which is probably the northernmost occurrence of non-stunted coconut palms in the world. There are also a few large ones in Madeira, not sure if they fruit or not, they don't look as good as the ones in Bermuda. Excluding these islands, coconut palms can generally grow south/north of about 28*N/S (Byron Bay in Australia, St. Petersburg and Cocoa Beach in FL, Durban in South Africa, and coastal Santa Catarina state in Brazil). This boundary is pushed a a bit south in China and S. Texas/N. Mexico because of continental cold fronts.
Seems like coconut palms always come up in these tropical climate threads
Yes, because coconut palms is the classic indicator of how cold a place gets in winter they are one of the least, if not the least, cold hardy palm species around. Bermuda has coconut palms growing in it because it never gets cold like it does in Savannah, GA because Bermuda is so far out from any landmass.
CC, does Cairns have coconut palms growing in it? I'm assuming it does? If they grow in Bermuda, then they must grow in Cairns, which is only a few degrees warmer, on average, than Bermuda in winter
CC, does Cairns have coconut palms growing in it? I'm assuming it does? If they grow in Bermuda, then they must grow in Cairns, which is only a few degrees warmer, on average, than Bermuda in winter
"Does Cairns have coconut palms growing in it?", this is completely absurd. That question is equivalent to asking if there are coconut palms in Hawaii. Cairns is solidly tropical, ULTRA-TROPICAL plants like durian, mangosteen, and breadfruit are grown in Cairns. None of those plants will survive or last long in Miami or Bermuda.
Average temperature for coldest month:
Cairns: 70.5*F
Hamilton: 64.5*F
Cairns only has 3 months with average highs below (barely) 80*F while Bermuda has 7 months with average highs below 80*F. I don't know why you would compare Cairns to Miami or Bermuda; Cairns is a true tropical climate while Bermuda is a subtropical climate. Even comparing Cairns to Miami is stretching it, Cairns' record low is in the mid 40s*F, Miami's record low is below freezing, no comparison.
There are many other palms and other plants more cold tender then Coconut Palms, they can survive radiational freezes down to 27*F, providing it doesn't last too long. A better indicator for a tropical climate would be a breadfruit tree.
"Does Cairns have coconut palms growing in it?", this is completely absurd. That question is equivalent to asking if there are coconut palms in Hawaii. Cairns is solidly tropical, ULTRA-TROPICAL plants like durian, mangosteen, and breadfruit are grown in Cairns. None of those plants will survive or last long in Miami or Bermuda.
Average temperature for coldest month:
Cairns: 70.5*F
Hamilton: 64.5*F
Cairns only has 3 months with average highs below (barely) 80*F while Bermuda has 7 months with average highs below 80*F. I don't know why you would compare Cairns to Miami or Bermuda; Cairns is a true tropical climate while Bermuda is a subtropical climate. Even comparing Cairns to Miami is stretching it, Cairns' record low is in the mid 40s*F, Miami's record low is below freezing, no comparison.
There are many other palms and other plants more cold tender then Coconut Palms, they can survive radiational freezes down to 27*F, providing it doesn't last too long. A better indicator for a tropical climate would be a breadfruit tree.
No need to attack me. Ok, I get it, I asked a stupid question. I only asked because the winters in Cairns are in the 50s and low 60s, but they go up to the 70s during the day
No need to attack me. Ok, I get it, I asked a stupid question. I only asked because the winters in Cairns are in the 50s and low 60s, but they go up to the 70s during the day
Sorry about that. I just don't understand the logic of Miami or Bermuda being on par or more tropical then Cairns.
Sorry about that. I just don't understand the logic of Miami or Bermuda being on par or more tropical then Cairns.
True. Well, I did make a stupid question, just a momentary lapse of judgment Forgiven. Miami is more like Rockhampton in the winter than Cairns, just slightly warmer in Miami. Köppen says Miami has a Am climate while Rockhampton has a Cfa/Cwa classification. Maybe different rainfall patterns and amounts?
I think the winter averages of Miami are similar to Townsville but Miami has more extreme cold snaps. Townsville has never recorded a frost while Miami has on a few occasions.
I'm a bit cold weather tender myself, but Cairns definitely shouldn't be compared to Miami. Cairns is still warm enough to grow any ultra-tropical plant, winters are only slightly cooler then most of Hawaii. I don't consider Miami tropical, but Cairns is definitely not subtropical.
Okay, *anemic-tropical* like the Bahamas. Is that better?
Imho, Cairns is a fantastic climate, just not a fantastic tropical climate. Cannot compete with coastal Jamaica.
I think Miami is a proper tropical place, despite it being affected by strong cold fronts no more than a few times a year. It always warms up the next day or 2 back to around average. The way I see it, if a place has coconut palm trees growing in it, then it's a proper tropical place. Coconut palms are not cold hardy, and don't grow further north than Lake Okeechobee, unless if it's right along the Atlantic coast.
I spotted a fruiting coconut palm in Geraldton, Western Australia.
Tropical, Geraldton ain't.
Carnarvon, WA has lots of coconut palms.
Was there in April a few days and I was cold between 9-10pm to almost 8am.
I'd consider Carnarvon strongly-sub-tropical, though it is also a bit south of the tropic of Capricorn.
Quote:
I was wondering that, it was weird that Cairns was so cold at night during the winter. Puerto Rico's coldest nights are 21°C but Cairns is around like, 15°C. Daytimes are also somewhat warmer in San Juan, about 3°C warmer. Darwin is the only city in Australia where you'll find Caribbean temps, according to my research. Have you been up there? Is it more tropical than Queensland, vegetation wise?
Did some looking up, Cairns averaged 17°C lows this past July, while San Juan averaged 21°C for lows in January. Just to make sure, July is the coldest month in Australia, and not June or August?
San Juan has one of the coolest winters that I'd still consider distinctly-tropical.
I haven't been to Darwin.
Vegetation should be more tropical-savannah, rather than lush rainforest.
Don't know if you'd consider that more tropical.
It'd be interesting to see if they have plants there that wouldn't do well in Cairns.
July is probably the coldest month most places, like your January.
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they are one of the least, if not the least, cold hardy palm species around. Bermuda has coconut palms growing in it because it never gets cold like it does in Savannah, GA because Bermuda is so far out from any landmass. 
Forgiven. Miami is more like Rockhampton in the winter than Cairns, just slightly warmer in Miami. Köppen says Miami has a Am climate while Rockhampton has a Cfa/Cwa classification. Maybe different rainfall patterns and amounts?
