Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Miami is not a true tropical climate, but it's closest thing we've got to it in the continental US.
Days like today feel tropical where the highs are in the 80s and lows in the 70s, however everytime a cold front comes through and temps fall into the 50s and 40s.... I'm reminded we do not live in a truly tropical climate, but again....it's close, but not quite there. .
If cold fronts did not come through, I'd venture to say Miami has a true tropical climate, but it's those cold fronts that sag so far south that ruin it.
I wonder why that is? Other locales at the same latitude have truly tropical climates. Why do cold fronts go so far south in this particular part of the globe?
I love it when these old threads get dug up, we get to see some long-forgotten names. I miss LA-Mex in particular; they were especially provocative.
Anyway, what OptimusPrime said here deserves to be emphasised. South Florida gets cold fronts regularly during the winter and this is a decidedly un-tropical characteristic. I don't care what the temperatures are, genetically South Florida is subtropical.
This guy counted the cold fronts in South Florida over a thirty-year period and they're actually far more frequent than I realized. One every six days was the average, usually starting in late September and finishing in early May. This frequency of cold fronts is completely incongruous with a true tropical climate.
I love it when these old threads get dug up, we get to see some long-forgotten names. I miss LA-Mex in particular; they were especially provocative.
Anyway, what OptimusPrime said here deserves to be emphasised. South Florida gets cold fronts regularly during the winter and this is a decidedly un-tropical characteristic. I don't care what the temperatures are, genetically South Florida is subtropical.
This guy counted the cold fronts in South Florida over a thirty-year period and they're actually far more frequent than I realized. One every six days was the average, usually starting in late September and finishing in early May. This frequency of cold fronts is completely incongruous with a true tropical climate.
the thread is which is more tropical bermuda or Miami, not which IS tropical.
You are straying off topic.
Now its laughable you call a cold front there in Sept "cold".
the number of days in Dec with a high temp greater than 60F is 31 in Dec, 31 in Jan and 28 in Feb. This is from 1989 thru winter of 2019.
number of days with low temp above 40F is 31, 31, and 28. Meaning that these constant cold fronts you talk about are not that potent.
These arctic outbreaks that are really bad are few and far between, otherwise there wouldn't be coco palms.
Like I said, I was talking about genetics and not about temperatures.
But are you sure about those data? According to this page MIA has averaged 59°F as the coldest maximum for the last 30 years (1990-2019) with 22 of the years having a coldest maximum of 60°F or less--including a high of 48°F on January 10, 2010. With respect to minimum temperatures, 8 of the last 30 years have had minimums less than 40°F (although none since 2010).
Bermuda is much cooler in the winter, Miami generally stays warms with highs in the 70s/80s. Cold fronts are the odd exception to the rule but generally Miami will feel more 'tropical' in the winter. Of course neither place has a fully tropical climate, I draw that line around Key Largo south.
Those in Bermuda look rather shabby, the Miami ones generally look healthier which I'd take as evidence of Miami being more tropical. There are some non-temperature related things that could cause this though. I've heard that they suffer a lack of ground water in Bermuda because the island is so small and low lying. Also persistent winds tend to make coastal vegetation look shabby even if the climate is otherwise suitable.
Those in Bermuda look rather shabby, the Miami ones generally look healthier which I'd take as evidence of Miami being more tropical. There are some non-temperature related things that could cause this though. I've heard that they suffer a lack of ground water in Bermuda because the island is so small and low lying. Also persistent winds tend to make coastal vegetation look shabby even if the climate is otherwise suitable.
They were in bad shape in Miami back around 1970 as there some sickness killing them. But never seen any killed from cold that far south in FL. Even the super freezes when it got down to 19f in Tampa had no effect on them in Miami. It takes 27f for 3 or more hours to kill them.
Like I said, I was talking about genetics and not about temperatures.
But are you sure about those data? According to this page MIA has averaged 59°F as the coldest maximum for the last 30 years (1990-2019) with 22 of the years having a coldest maximum of 60°F or less--including a high of 48°F on January 10, 2010. With respect to minimum temperatures, 8 of the last 30 years have had minimums less than 40°F (although none since 2010).
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,587,616 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed's Mountain
I love it when these old threads get dug up, we get to see some long-forgotten names. I miss LA-Mex in particular; they were especially provocative.
Anyway, what OptimusPrime said here deserves to be emphasised. South Florida gets cold fronts regularly during the winter and this is a decidedly un-tropical characteristic. I don't care what the temperatures are, genetically South Florida is subtropical.
This guy counted the cold fronts in South Florida over a thirty-year period and they're actually far more frequent than I realized. One every six days was the average, usually starting in late September and finishing in early May. This frequency of cold fronts is completely incongruous with a true tropical climate.
You know that the Gulf Coast of Mexico gets those fronts as well, don't you? Tampico (sea level at 23°N) and even Veracruz (sea level at 19°N) see the same cold incursions as Florida does. Heck, Veracruz has had winter days in recent years with high temps in the low teens Celcius, despite an average January high of 24.5°C or so
I was on the beach in Fort Lauderdale the weekend of jan 18th to 20th. High temps were in the mid to upper 70's every day with lows in the 60'sF. quite average and it was great.
ocean water was 74F. latest water temp in Miami is 77F while Bermuda water temp is 68F. Avg high in Bermuda in Jan is 69F, and drops to 68F in Feb. Not nearly as warm as Miami.
This is a record warm Feb in Miami tbf
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
