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Is Orlando's climate, being more or less on the center of the Florida penninsula, more similar to Jacksonville or Miami's? I would personally lean it more toward Miami, as Orlando has been borderline tropical in recent years and can go many years between freezes, and sees more summer thunderstorms similar to those of South Florida. On the other hand, Orlando's winters are still significantly cooler than Miami's, and of course may have a bit more pronounced seasons more akin to Jacksonville, which Miami arguably lacks. This is definitely a close one.
I agree it's close, but I would say Jacksonville, if you are comparing like with like with like.
Jacksonville Naval Air Station and Orlando Executive Airport need to be compared to Miami International Airport to be like with like. Unlike Miami their international airports are not the warmest/most urban spots in the entire metro, so if anyone is thinking of using them, be aware that Jacksonville/Orlando International Airport like you see on Wikipedia are skewed comparisons.
Jacksonville NAS and Orlando Executive both land in the 'minimal to occasional frost' category, their being closer in latitude to each other than either is to Miami gives them a better chance of getting the same or similar frontal/precipitation events, and their winters are definitely closer to each other (2-3C depending on the month, vs 3-4C for Miami vs Orlando Executive).
I agree it's close, but I would say Jacksonville, if you are comparing like with like with like.
Jacksonville Naval Air Station and Orlando Executive Airport need to be compared to Miami International Airport to be like with like. Unlike Miami their international airports are not the warmest/most urban spots in the entire metro, so if anyone is thinking of using them, be aware that Jacksonville/Orlando International Airport like you see on Wikipedia are skewed comparisons.
Jacksonville NAS and Orlando Executive both land in the 'minimal to occasional frost' category, their being closer in latitude to each other than either is to Miami gives them a better chance of getting the same or similar frontal/precipitation events, and their winters are definitely closer to each other (2-3C depending on the month, vs 3-4C for Miami vs Orlando Executive).
That is an interesting assessment, and it is true that Orlando Int'l airport is not in a very urban part of greater Orlando. However, I feel that Orlando's winters are much warmer than Jacksonville's than their distance would have you believe. In the last 20 years alone, Orlando has had two 5 year freeze free stretches (Jan 2003-Jan 2008 and Jan 2018-Dec 2022) A single year without a freeze is extroardinarily rare in Jacksonville, and I dont think it could pull off even a two year frost free streak. Jacksonville sees multiple freezes a year, and thus does not have the tropical vegetation that Orlando has (royal palm trees) However, it is also true that Orlando does have more similar frontal/rain events to Jax as you said, and Miami hasn't had a freeze since the 80s. This is truly a tough call and I think it could honestly go either way.
That is an interesting assessment, and it is true that Orlando Int'l airport is not in a very urban part of greater Orlando. However, I feel that Orlando's winters are much warmer than Jacksonville's than their distance would have you believe. In the last 20 years alone, Orlando has had two 5 year freeze free stretches (Jan 2003-Jan 2008 and Jan 2018-Dec 2022)
The way you wrote this statement comes across as only regarding frost - or lack thereof - as the measure of how warm a winter is. I am taking into account average monthly temperatures, therefore if the way that your statement reads to me is the way you intended it to, we are not comparing like with like.
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A single year without a freeze is extroardinarily rare in Jacksonville,
What do you define as extraordinarily rare? It is hard to look up the data because the IEM is kind of a PITA to use, but the proper station of Jacksonville Naval Air Station had no frost in 1990, 1998, 2006, 2019, 2021, or 2023 - and that is only what I checked, there likely are more.
Not what I would call extraordinarily rare: https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/si...ear=1990#plots
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and I dont think it could pull off even a two year frost free streak.
It has, in fact there has been an almost 3 year streak from January 18 2018 to December 26 2020!
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Jacksonville sees multiple freezes a year, and thus does not have the tropical vegetation that Orlando has (royal palm trees)
I don't consider vegetation relevant. The same vegetation grows in many different climates and is influenced by non-climactic factors such as soil, topography, and geography, so ends up being a non-differentiator.
The way you wrote this statement comes across as only regarding frost - or lack thereof - as the measure of how warm a winter is. I am taking into account average monthly temperatures, therefore if the way that your statement reads to me is the way you intended it to, we are not comparing like with like.
Yeah, I am probably focusing too much on winter/frost when comparing these cities. Winter temp differences aside, Orlando may have more summer rainfall and much warmer night temps on average during the summer more akin to Miami. However you are probably right that in terms of winter, Jacksonville definitely takes the cake in terms of similar weather. Miami hasn't even gotten below 52 degrees this winter, while Orlando has gotten down to the 30s and Jax has dipped below freezing.
However you are probably right that in terms of winter, Jacksonville definitely takes the cake in terms of similar weather. Miami hasn't even gotten below 52 degrees this winter, while Orlando has gotten down to the 30s and Jax has dipped below freezing.
I am glad we can agree but this winter cannot be used as the reference point - a lot of nonregular weather has happened and Miami not dipping below 11C illustrates that perfectly.
But, to set things straight, the proper Jacksonville Naval Air Station has not had any frost this winter - there have only been 1C near misses on January 17 and 21. Wherever you are looking at is the wrong station - go to my IEM link for the proper data.
But, to set things straight, the proper Jacksonville Naval Air Station has not had any frost this winter - there have only been 1C near misses on January 17 and 21. Wherever you are looking at is the wrong station - go to my IEM link for the proper data.
Granted, I was using the more rural Jacksonville Int'l and Orlando Int'l NWS nowdata, however it is still difficult to come to conclusions in which city has more similar weather.
Granted, I was using the more rural Jacksonville Int'l and Orlando Int'l NWS nowdata, however it is still difficult to come to conclusions in which city has more similar weather.
So that's what's been happening! Since as I mentioned neither of those stations are a like for like comparison with Miami International Airport, we can't get an appropriate comparison.
To compare like with like with them, we would need Homestead General Aviation Airport/Tamiami Executive for Miami.
I'm a native of the Miami area and lived until recently in the Orlando area.
The climate difference is significant. Miami is on the southeast coast of FL and has the predominant southeast tradewinds off the Atlantic which provide a relief in my opinion to the heat, much like a fan does. The effect does not lower the heat by much but helps evaporate perspiration so you tend to not feel as hot. Orlando is pretty much at the geographic center of the state, almost as far as possible from either coast. As a result in the summer months especially (essentially April through October) there is precious little breeze to speak of most days.
Miami in essence feels and looks sub-tropical climate-wise, while Orlando in its native state looks and feels more like North Florida/South Georgia.
I'm a native of the Miami area and lived until recently in the Orlando area.
The climate difference is significant. Miami is on the southeast coast of FL and has the predominant southeast tradewinds off the Atlantic which provide a relief in my opinion to the heat, much like a fan does. The effect does not lower the heat by much but helps evaporate perspiration so you tend to not feel as hot. Orlando is pretty much at the geographic center of the state, almost as far as possible from either coast. As a result in the summer months especially (essentially April through October) there is precious little breeze to speak of most days.
Miami in essence feels and looks sub-tropical climate-wise, while Orlando in its native state looks and feels more like North Florida/South Georgia.
Yeah, there is undoubtedly a significant climate difference between Orlando and Miami, but I think the argument could be made that there is at least an equally significant climate difference between Orlando and Jacksonville, as Jacksonville easily gets into the 20s most winters, has pronounced falls and springs, which is not the case in Orlando and Miami, which lack true seasons aside from winter and summer. Also, Orlando is starting to resemble Miami's subtropical vegetation, as I am seeing more royal palm trees, cocunut palms, and many other not so cold hardy plants that would be impossible to grow due to Jacksonville's much colder winters. In the end, I would argue that Orlando's climate is exactly in between Miami's and Jacksonville's, or perhaps a touch closer to Miami's.
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