Florida in the summer [thinking about moving there]
- tennisplyr
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Florida in the summer [thinking about moving there]
I'm a lifetime New Yorker who's starting to think about moving to Florida. I'm 65 and retired and really enjoy the outdoors. We've all heard stories about the summer heat which Floridians might say are overblown. PS, NY winters are no bargain. Curious to hear from those living in FL year 'round.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
Re: Florida in the summer
Everyone's experience can be a bit different, but I have lived in south and central Florida for 64 years and have had no problem with the summer heat. I should add that I am an avid golfer, at one time playing virtually every day for two years straight, including summer days. Very enjoyable.
Last edited by kenner on Sun Jan 18, 2015 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Florida in the summer
We retired in Tn. Since moving here we were introduced to the term "halfbacks".
It refers to Northerners who retired to Florida and after a period of time,moved "up" to Tn to escape the summer heat and experience more moderate temperatures,,just sayin.
It refers to Northerners who retired to Florida and after a period of time,moved "up" to Tn to escape the summer heat and experience more moderate temperatures,,just sayin.
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
Re: Florida in the summer
I have lived in Southeast Florida since 1975. One thing to realize about living here is that climate control is ubiquitous, so other than transporting yourself from wherever your body is presently located to the car (which is also air conditioned) nobody needs to be in the full blast of weather for more than a few moments until one is back in cooler and less humid ambient air.
That said, yes it is hot and it is humid in the summer. Depending on what you like as far as weather that can be a deal breaker or not. I suggest renting somewhere for at least one summer to determine if this is personally a climate that you can't handle. Some people compare summer in Florida to winter in the northern regions--it can be wise to plan outdoor activities for earlier or later in the day to avoid the broiling mid day sun just as up north people evidently try to limit outdoor activity in the deep cold of winter to avoid freezing to death
Then too if you are an active person summer in Florida is a great time for certain activities such as diving and boating. The waters are calm, the water temp is perfect and many folks including my spouse and I feel it's the perfect weather for a glorious day of scuba or free diving. Also since summer is the low tourist season it's possible to enjoy some great bargains-you can spend time in an oceanfront resort for far less in the summer than in winter/spring. I actually vacation on the Florida gulf coast each August and take advantage of this to live a beach front life fantasy life for a week each year (my home is <1 mile from the ocean but not on the water).
That said, yes it is hot and it is humid in the summer. Depending on what you like as far as weather that can be a deal breaker or not. I suggest renting somewhere for at least one summer to determine if this is personally a climate that you can't handle. Some people compare summer in Florida to winter in the northern regions--it can be wise to plan outdoor activities for earlier or later in the day to avoid the broiling mid day sun just as up north people evidently try to limit outdoor activity in the deep cold of winter to avoid freezing to death
Then too if you are an active person summer in Florida is a great time for certain activities such as diving and boating. The waters are calm, the water temp is perfect and many folks including my spouse and I feel it's the perfect weather for a glorious day of scuba or free diving. Also since summer is the low tourist season it's possible to enjoy some great bargains-you can spend time in an oceanfront resort for far less in the summer than in winter/spring. I actually vacation on the Florida gulf coast each August and take advantage of this to live a beach front life fantasy life for a week each year (my home is <1 mile from the ocean but not on the water).
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Re: Florida in the summer
My parents live in Florida and don't mind (or at least can handle) the summers. They couldnt imagine moving back to the winters in the Northeast.
But I would spend a month or so in the summer in FL before moving since the heat affects people differently. I'm sure you could rent a place for dirt cheap in the off season.
Also, it may be more expensive but the Carolinas could also be a good option. Lots of great outdoor activities.
I don't know anyone who has moved from the Northeast to the south and misses the cold winters. Some miss the snow, but you can travel to get a snow fix. When you're playing tennis outside in shorts in January, you'll know you made the right decision
But I would spend a month or so in the summer in FL before moving since the heat affects people differently. I'm sure you could rent a place for dirt cheap in the off season.
Also, it may be more expensive but the Carolinas could also be a good option. Lots of great outdoor activities.
I don't know anyone who has moved from the Northeast to the south and misses the cold winters. Some miss the snow, but you can travel to get a snow fix. When you're playing tennis outside in shorts in January, you'll know you made the right decision
Re: Florida in the summer
It's hard to generalize about Florida summer heat. We need to know what specific area you are interested in, especially if the area is near the ocean or Gulf. I have been visiting South Florida, both East and west coast for years. Let's take coastal SW FL. It's hot in the summer, generally between 90 and 96 daily. But there is usually an ocean breeze and I think the heat is quite manageable. It's not hotter than, say Philly's summer heat, just that the heat is pretty much going to be there daily. But, I really like this kind of climate.
Francis
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Re: Florida in the summer
Ditto on the exact place in Florida mattering a lot, particularly as far as humidity and coastal breezes.
When I moved to Florida in August in time for my husband to start school, I was pregnant and not feeling well. I opened up the car door and felt the first wave of moist heat, and shut the car door again even though I really needed to get out and use the facilities. I sobbed the next 100 miles, worrying that I would never adjust. I had just been reading a sci-fi book (Heinlein's RED PLANET) which includes a girl who can't cope with living on Mars and has to be in an oxygen tent the whole time she lives there.
But I did get used to it, and we even lived without air conditioning the first few years.
I commute by bicycle, including riding home in 90+ degree heat.
I don't think it is quite as hot as Arizona in the summer.
An underrated challenge of living in Florida that some folks don't realize until they make the move is allergies. A lot of people can deal with the weather just fine, but find that they have nasty allergies that flare up, sometime at certain times of year, but still.
If you can afford to come down for a few months at a time during various times of the year (not just winter), that would help you know if it is for you. I had a friend that did this, using the Amtrak "car train" to bring a vehicle from her home in Washington DC area. (Of course also they were waiting for the real estate market to improve before selling up there.)
When I moved to Florida in August in time for my husband to start school, I was pregnant and not feeling well. I opened up the car door and felt the first wave of moist heat, and shut the car door again even though I really needed to get out and use the facilities. I sobbed the next 100 miles, worrying that I would never adjust. I had just been reading a sci-fi book (Heinlein's RED PLANET) which includes a girl who can't cope with living on Mars and has to be in an oxygen tent the whole time she lives there.
But I did get used to it, and we even lived without air conditioning the first few years.
I commute by bicycle, including riding home in 90+ degree heat.
I don't think it is quite as hot as Arizona in the summer.
An underrated challenge of living in Florida that some folks don't realize until they make the move is allergies. A lot of people can deal with the weather just fine, but find that they have nasty allergies that flare up, sometime at certain times of year, but still.
If you can afford to come down for a few months at a time during various times of the year (not just winter), that would help you know if it is for you. I had a friend that did this, using the Amtrak "car train" to bring a vehicle from her home in Washington DC area. (Of course also they were waiting for the real estate market to improve before selling up there.)
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Re: Florida in the summer
For me Florida has a large number of other negatives beyond the hot and humid weather.
I admit it has beaches and the ocean/ bay. If you want those then it might be OK.
Negatives for me include: uninteresting and flat geography away from the water; no variety of landscape; close to Disneyland it its ilk.
But hey, if you like it after spending some time in the summer, go for it.
Reminds me of the joke. Comedian says that his parents lived in Brooklyn but moved to Florida when they retired. They didn't want to, but that's the rule.
I admit it has beaches and the ocean/ bay. If you want those then it might be OK.
Negatives for me include: uninteresting and flat geography away from the water; no variety of landscape; close to Disneyland it its ilk.
But hey, if you like it after spending some time in the summer, go for it.
Reminds me of the joke. Comedian says that his parents lived in Brooklyn but moved to Florida when they retired. They didn't want to, but that's the rule.
Re: Florida in the summer
There have been times during the summer when the NJ weather was oppressively hot but milder while I was in Florida. You didn't say where you lived in NY but if you are from the city, take a relatively hot day, and make it a common occurrence nearly everyday throughout the summer. It is pretty persistent except for the daily thunder shower that usually occurs. It might cool the temperature a few degrees or make it more humid. That's okay, I like it that way. If you like to live in short pants, this is the place to be. You can't do that in the dry climates. When the sun goes down, you will need long pants and a jacket.
Re: Florida in the summer
I moved to West Palm Beach in 2005, after I retired and then moved back north to Maryland because the summer in Florida was so horribly humid. It was tough even in the evening. It`s a good place in the winter only in my opinion. Luckily for me the home prices were soaring so I made a nice profit in a very short time. The reason I did not wait to go there in the summer before buying a villa was because the prices were rising so fast and I thought if I waited much longer the price of a nice place would be prohibitive. A domestic worker in my place told me that she came here in Florida (summer) from Trinidad to visit her sister for 3 weeks but was leaving 1 week early because the heat and humidity were so oppressive. What does that tell you. A friend of mine moved there about 7 years ago to the west side but closes his condo up in the summer due to the heat and rents a place in Ashville, North Carolina and comes back in September. My suggestion is to rent there for the whole summer first. I hope this helps you.
Re: Florida in the summer
pennywise wrote:I have lived in Southeast Florida since 1975. One thing to realize about living here is that climate control is ubiquitous, so other than transporting yourself from wherever your body is presently located to the car (which is also air conditioned) nobody needs to be in the full blast of weather for more than a few moments until one is back in cooler and less humid ambient air.
That said, yes it is hot and it is humid in the summer. Depending on what you like as far as weather that can be a deal breaker or not. I suggest renting somewhere for at least one summer to determine if this is personally a climate that you can't handle. Some people compare summer in Florida to winter in the northern regions--it can be wise to plan outdoor activities for earlier or later in the day to avoid the broiling mid day sun just as up north people evidently try to limit outdoor activity in the deep cold of winter to avoid freezing to death
Then too if you are an active person summer in Florida is a great time for certain activities such as diving and boating. The waters are calm, the water temp is perfect and many folks including my spouse and I feel it's the perfect weather for a glorious day of scuba or free diving. Also since summer is the low tourist season it's possible to enjoy some great bargains-you can spend time in an oceanfront resort for far less in the summer than in winter/spring. I actually vacation on the Florida gulf coast each August and take advantage of this to live a beach front life fantasy life for a week each year (my home is <1 mile from the ocean but not on the water).
Since 1964 here...... wife and I exercise outdoors. In the summer it is early AM or timed so it's just starting to get dark when we get back. It's January 18th, 11:45 AM and it's 73 degrees out. That's a bit cooler than most days but still T-shirt and shorts. Pennywise has made some great points. .. and yes, it's hot when I walk from our air-conditioned apartment to the air-conditioned car. Would I swap back to snow (Brooklyn boy here) to keep NY summers.. no way!
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Re: Florida in the summer
I'm a tennis player too and I live in South Florida. The heat is manageable but the humidity is out of control. If I play for a few hours in the summer I can easily go through three shirts, two towels, several overgrips, a gallon of water, etc. The rain is the worst part about summers here though. I'll be at work all day looking at the beautiful weather outside thinking about my match later in the evening...and then the second I get off work it rains for ten minutes, just long enough to ruin the tennis court. We get afternoon showers like that almost every day, and the days it doesn't rain are humid as described above. If you play in the early morning though it should be ok.
Re: Florida in the summer
"A friend of mine moved there about 7 years ago to the west side but closes his condo up in the summer due to the heat and rents a place in Asheville, North Carolina and comes back in September"
Living 60 miles West of Asheville,,that is what I hear in this part of the country.
Living 60 miles West of Asheville,,that is what I hear in this part of the country.
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
Re: Florida in the summer
I've lived in South Florida for 38 years after moving from Western New York. I've always felt it depends a lot on what you're doing how the summers affect you. I wouldn't want to be a roofer or working on the highways, but playing golf early in the morning is quite pleasureable. I competed in triathlons for a number of years and always did my workouts before the sun rose in the morning. When I was working in an office I hardly noticed the heat, but after retiring I became more aware of the mid-day temperature and humidity. As others have said, it's easy to get through the day without much exposure to the heat because everything is air conditioned.
Gill
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Re: Florida in the summer
Important to rent or visit first because this is so subjective. Lots of people live in the Rockies where summer is 5 minutes long; not my cup of tea, but they love it.
Southeast Florida, where we live, is made up of many separate and different communities.
Climate differs inland v coast.
Another plus: lower latitude = more hours of sunlight. Compare sunset times for NYC and West Palm sometime, interesting. Today, 4:56 pm v 5:51 pm.
Travel a little in the hot months.
Southeast Florida, where we live, is made up of many separate and different communities.
Climate differs inland v coast.
Another plus: lower latitude = more hours of sunlight. Compare sunset times for NYC and West Palm sometime, interesting. Today, 4:56 pm v 5:51 pm.
Travel a little in the hot months.
Re: Florida in the summer
Just a thought...Maybe you could just rent in Florida during the winter months.That's what I plan to do.
Re: Florida in the summer
It hasn't been mentioned so I will. Bugs and mosquitos. The heat and humidity creates a perfect environment for them. An elderly Floridian once told me to learn to "get used to them and love'em cause they were here first and they ain't leavin'."
- happyisland
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Re: Florida in the summer
I lived in south Florida for years, and my favorite time of year was always the summer months. That said, I spent a lot of time around and in the water.
Re: Florida in the summer
four7s wrote:It hasn't been mentioned so I will. Bugs and mosquitos. The heat and humidity creates a perfect environment for them. An elderly Floridian once told me to learn to "get used to them and love'em cause they were here first and they ain't leavin'."
Don't forget Fire Ants
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
Re: Florida in the summer
The midday sun in South Florida can be very intense. I tend to split my outdoor activities into morning and evening events. I plan my indoor activities such as shopping for midday. I am seriously considering putting a darker tint on the windows of my vehicle. For me it is all about avoiding the sun. Skin cancer is a serious threat in this neck of the woods.
Re: Florida in the summer
FWIW, I live in Florida. Travelled to NYC a few years ago when it was experiencing a "record breaking heat wave."
It didn't feel 'hot' to me because the humidity was nowhere near what is experienced in Florida.
Actually, I believe NYC hit 102 that day. It honestly felt cooler than a typical 92-94 degree day in Florida with 80% humidity.
That said, the amenities to cool off are so much better here than 'up north.'
My dad, who relocated here after he retired, used to say he knew he was going to Heaven when he died because he spent so much time in Florida (indicating it was hotter than Hell).
PS I have been to Hell (in the Cayman Islands) and, yes, Florida is definitely hotter.
Those Floridians who can, usually travel to cooler climates between June and September, spending the rest of the year here.
If you come here in summer, you will never come back to Florida - and you would really miss out on how great it is the rest of the year.
PS, it's January 18th. I spent 4-5 hours outdoors in the pool and hot tub today. What did you do?
It didn't feel 'hot' to me because the humidity was nowhere near what is experienced in Florida.
Actually, I believe NYC hit 102 that day. It honestly felt cooler than a typical 92-94 degree day in Florida with 80% humidity.
That said, the amenities to cool off are so much better here than 'up north.'
My dad, who relocated here after he retired, used to say he knew he was going to Heaven when he died because he spent so much time in Florida (indicating it was hotter than Hell).
PS I have been to Hell (in the Cayman Islands) and, yes, Florida is definitely hotter.
Those Floridians who can, usually travel to cooler climates between June and September, spending the rest of the year here.
If you come here in summer, you will never come back to Florida - and you would really miss out on how great it is the rest of the year.
PS, it's January 18th. I spent 4-5 hours outdoors in the pool and hot tub today. What did you do?
If I have seen further, it was by standing on the shoulders of giants.
Re: Florida in the summer
I live on a barrier island in East Central Florida and although it rarely gets over 90 and has constant breezes, the humidity is never under 90 percent in the summer.
I don't think it is hotter than a lot of places, but the summer is just VERY LONG with August and September being the worst. No real relief until Oct 15; and you are so sick of it by then.
I went to Hawaii over Christmas and was amazed that the humidity there was so much less.
I don't think it is hotter than a lot of places, but the summer is just VERY LONG with August and September being the worst. No real relief until Oct 15; and you are so sick of it by then.
I went to Hawaii over Christmas and was amazed that the humidity there was so much less.
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Re: Florida in the summer
I live right across the street from the ocean in central Florida. Having lived in Philly, I can truthfully say that it's much more pleasant here in the summer (due to the nice ocean breezes) than it was in Philly, with the stifling humidity and no breezes that are common there. And we see beautifuly clear blue skies nearly all the time, rather than Philly's constant "grey clouds" (aka smog). On the other hand, move away from the ocean in Central Florida and it can be as bad as a hot and muggy Philly summer day.
So the bottom line is that it all depends on where you come from and where in Florida you go to.
So the bottom line is that it all depends on where you come from and where in Florida you go to.
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Re: Florida in the summer
My wife had an interesting observation during a summer we spent in Florida. As we were walking from our air-conditioned house to our air-conditioned car, she said: "I can actually feel my eyeballs sweating."
Re: Florida in the summer
Swampy wrote:If you come here in summer, you will never come back to Florida - and you would really miss out on how great it is the rest of the year.
I can't believe Florida summers could be much worse than Missouri in July and August.
Re: Florida in the summer
I went to Florida in April and it felt like August in Missouri. I thought Missouri was humid. LOL
- tennisplyr
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Re: Florida in the summer
Thanks all. Am currently snow birding in Sarasota and loving it. So much that we're thinking of a future here. I Know it's January and weather in NY bites now.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
Re: Florida in the summer
I never once had to scrape sunshine off my windshield
"The poor long for riches. The rich long for heaven. But the wise desire tranquility."
Re: Florida in the summer
About 25 years ago, when living in Washington, DC, I went to visit relatives in Florida in the summer. The heat, bugs, and humidity were much worse than what we had in Washington. I didn't want to go outside at all.
My relatives lived about 10 or 15 miles inland from the coast, so it's quite possible that it's better right on the coast. I wouldn't know. That's the last time I went to Florida in the summer.
My relatives lived about 10 or 15 miles inland from the coast, so it's quite possible that it's better right on the coast. I wouldn't know. That's the last time I went to Florida in the summer.
Re: Florida in the summer
It's really not a big deal. If you are planning to do physical activities outside, it's better to be an early bird and do them in the mornings before it gets too hot. Then take your siesta during the midday sun or do your indoor activities during the day in air conditioned comfort. Late afternoons can have thunderstorms that cools things off. Evenings can be pleasant too.
Re: Florida in the summer
Funny, that was our experience last time we took kids to Washington DC in 2011. We thought we would die of the heat--the National Zoo had spritzers on for people to go under and try to cool off.Beth* wrote:About 25 years ago, when living in Washington, DC, I went to visit relatives in Florida in the summer. The heat, bugs, and humidity were much worse than what we had in Washington. I didn't want to go outside at all.
Re: Florida in the summer
snowbirding exists for a reason.
either live north and go to floridafor the winter or live in florida and go north for the summer.
either live north and go to floridafor the winter or live in florida and go north for the summer.
Re: Florida in the summer
Adding to fear mongering: don't forget the gators, coral snakes and hurricanes. Palm trees, and rum runners help mask the fear.Toons wrote:four7s wrote:It hasn't been mentioned so I will. Bugs and mosquitos. The heat and humidity creates a perfect environment for them. An elderly Floridian once told me to learn to "get used to them and love'em cause they were here first and they ain't leavin'."
Don't forget Fire Ants
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Re: Florida in the summer
During my first summer in Florida, I was horrified that there were people walking around in jeans. In all that heat! And humidity! I thought they must have been a bit crazy. Now I can do that too, although I generally don't choose to. It's fine - you adapt. There is air conditioning everywhere, and if you want to go outside to exercise, the early morning is pleasant, or in the evening after the rain. Actually, the air conditioning in most places is set TOO cold, and I find I want to wear a sweater to go to the supermarket or movie theater. Or restaurants. It is also very nice to be able to get into a pool in your own backyard to cool off. You even adapt to the mosquito bites - I used to get giant welts every time I was bitten, now bites barely register. Plus, the traffic is WAY better in the summer, prices are often lower, and you can easily get a table at a fancy restaurant that you don't have a hope of going to during "season".
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Re: Florida in the summer
I can't wait to go back to Florida. I'm from Southern California. I've only been a few times, but the longest was a June-July-August period a few years ago. I left the extremely dry CA weather (itch like crazy, no matter how much lotion) for the humidity of central costal Florida. Sure, in my jeans and t-shirt I'd go for an afternoon walk and be drenched with sweat, but I preferred it to the itching. It did thunderstorm every afternoon/evening it seemed. I just learned to wait a minute or two if it was a lot of rain to take the groceries back to the car as it was likely to lighten up.
I also found that the places I went were very over A/C for my tastes.
Eventually we'll rent there (maybe one or more places) - need to make sure DH also can handle it.
I also found that the places I went were very over A/C for my tastes.
Eventually we'll rent there (maybe one or more places) - need to make sure DH also can handle it.
Re: Florida in the summer
Don't get too comlacent, there are swarms of palmetto bugs hiding in the palm trees.ebabin wrote:Adding to fear mongering: don't forget the gators, coral snakes and hurricanes. Palm trees, and rum runners help mask the fear.Toons wrote:four7s wrote:It hasn't been mentioned so I will. Bugs and mosquitos. The heat and humidity creates a perfect environment for them. An elderly Floridian once told me to learn to "get used to them and love'em cause they were here first and they ain't leavin'."
Don't forget Fire Ants
Last edited by ZumZabo on Mon Jan 19, 2015 4:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Florida in the summer
I lived in Florida for 13 years between Tampa, Boca Raton and Lake Worth. (W. Palm Beach). I was in the produce business and it was an outdoor market. I lived in shorts and t-shirts so much so that if I had to dress for a wedding or a formal occasion, it felt really strange to wear long pants. I got a little tired of 8 months of July but I was outdoors in it year round. I really question if I would tire of the hot weather now. I won't rule out giving it another try after I stop working in 2 years. We made some dear friends there that we keep in touch with and visit. The transition would be easy.
What makes me think I could start clean slated? The hardest to learn was the least complicated: Emily Saliers / And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know: Kerry Livgren
Re: Florida in the summer
Now that I'm retired, eliminating winter has become a priority. (for some reason, winter didn't feel as bad when I was working).
My first choice would be Southern California where the weather is perfect all year round; but it's too expensive.
The next choice is a buying a second home in Florida for the winter (do not want to be there all summer). Sadly, there is another thread (155360) estimating the annual cost of owning a second home at around $25,000 a year. Ouch.
The third option is renting. I think you can find decent Florida rental properties for $3000/month, plus or minus, depending on proximity to the water.
My first choice would be Southern California where the weather is perfect all year round; but it's too expensive.
The next choice is a buying a second home in Florida for the winter (do not want to be there all summer). Sadly, there is another thread (155360) estimating the annual cost of owning a second home at around $25,000 a year. Ouch.
The third option is renting. I think you can find decent Florida rental properties for $3000/month, plus or minus, depending on proximity to the water.
Re: Florida in the summer
Florida summers seem to be much more predictable than those 'up north'. In SWFL you can expect 92-94 and humid every day. You won't have 102 for a week followed by 65 for a week.
The other thing I didn't see mentioned about Fl in the summer is the rainy season. Plan on a late afternoon shower every day. The showers tend to cool things off to around 75 and make for very nice evenings.
Renting during the summer is a great idea so you can get a feel of how you will adapt to the heat but also the decreased number of people around due to all the snowbirds leaving.
The other thing I didn't see mentioned about Fl in the summer is the rainy season. Plan on a late afternoon shower every day. The showers tend to cool things off to around 75 and make for very nice evenings.
Renting during the summer is a great idea so you can get a feel of how you will adapt to the heat but also the decreased number of people around due to all the snowbirds leaving.
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Re: Florida in the summer
I was going to suggest this as well. My inlaws head down that way early in the new year and come back in March. They spread their time between timeshares they own, cruises, etc. When they started heading that way many years ago, it was for a few weeks...usually their Disney timeshare and a cruise. As the years went by, they added more and more "stuff" to their itinerary and are now down for about 2.5 months at a shot.gerrym51 wrote:snowbirding exists for a reason.
either live north and go to floridafor the winter or live in florida and go north for the summer.
I can see my wife and I doing this in the future as well. Why lay out an investment in a vacation home, major life change, etc when you can rent the vaction luxury and not feel tied down to one spot?
Re: Florida in the summer
The heat and humidity can be terrible. Don't live in Florida, but I do live in the Houston area. Terrible summer humidity. But I have traveled to Cape Canaveral in the summer. I found the mornings there to be even worse than here, and that's saying something. If the area in Florida has a humidity concern, it can take several years to acclimate to it, and even then you have to scale back your physical activity during those months.
Re: Florida in the summer
This would be an issue for me. I don't like excessive air conditioning not only because it's a waste of energy but also because it prevents acclimatization to outdoor temperatures.englishgirl wrote:There is air conditioning everywhere, and if you want to go outside to exercise, the early morning is pleasant, or in the evening after the rain. Actually, the air conditioning in most places is set TOO cold, and I find I want to wear a sweater to go to the supermarket or movie theater. Or restaurants.
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Re: Florida in the summer
I migrated from NY to Tampa. In NY I was shut in the house all day during December, Jan, Feb, and most of March due to the weather. Now I spend more time indoors in June, July, Aug and September. The good part is that I have options of going to the community pool or doing outdoor activities in early morning or just before dark in the evening. Those options aren't available during NY winters !
Re: Florida in the summer
It might not be worse but it lasts months longer than Missouri.Bustoff wrote:Swampy wrote:If you come here in summer, you will never come back to Florida - and you would really miss out on how great it is the rest of the year.
I can't believe Florida summers could be much worse than Missouri in July and August.
Re: Florida in the summer
I'm not advocating Washington, DC in the summer! I hate it. I remember pushing a stroller and a large two-year-old uphill in the summer and thinking that I was going to die. It's just that my experience was that Florida was even worse. My ideal climate is found in parts of California: generally 50 to 60 in the winter, 70 to 80 in the summer, with very low humidity. I love the weather in the San Francisco East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland), Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, etc. However, those are not cheap retirement destinations.Naismith wrote:Funny, that was our experience last time we took kids to Washington DC in 2011. We thought we would die of the heat--the National Zoo had spritzers on for people to go under and try to cool off.Beth* wrote:About 25 years ago, when living in Washington, DC, I went to visit relatives in Florida in the summer. The heat, bugs, and humidity were much worse than what we had in Washington. I didn't want to go outside at all.
Re: Florida in the summer
In Washington, DC, there are usually about four very hot weeks every summer, and I usually miss most of them while traveling in Europe. If the summer in Florida is much longer, as other people have noted, it's more difficult to avoid. Every once in a while one can travel for three-four months at a time, but it's not a permanent solution. Having a winter home elsewhere would work, but that comes with the expense of maintaining two homes.Beth* wrote:I'm not advocating Washington, DC in the summer! I hate it. I remember pushing a stroller and a large two-year-old uphill in the summer and thinking that I was going to die. It's just that my experience was that Florida was even worse. My ideal climate is found in parts of California: generally 50 to 60 in the winter, 70 to 80 in the summer, with very low humidity. I love the weather in the San Francisco East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland), Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, etc. However, those are not cheap retirement destinations.Naismith wrote:Funny, that was our experience last time we took kids to Washington DC in 2011. We thought we would die of the heat--the National Zoo had spritzers on for people to go under and try to cool off.Beth* wrote:About 25 years ago, when living in Washington, DC, I went to visit relatives in Florida in the summer. The heat, bugs, and humidity were much worse than what we had in Washington. I didn't want to go outside at all.
Victoria
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Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
Re: Florida in the summer
Something else to consider is that if you stay along the Florida coastline the summer heat/humidity is ameliorated by the sea breezes. I've been in Washington DC and Atlanta summers and to me those are much, much worse than anything in Miami. The most intense combinations of heat and humidity are similar, but there's no relief in a cooling breeze if the wind is blasting from and to sunbaked land masses. I likened it to living in an oven, really. This is also one reason I'd never live anywhere near Orlando or other inland FL locations.
Re: Florida in the summer
+1Beth* wrote: My ideal climate is found in parts of California: generally 50 to 60 in the winter, 70 to 80 in the summer, with very low humidity. I love the weather in the San Francisco East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland), Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, etc. However, those are not cheap retirement destinations.
Love the climate in California. And even though it's expensive out there, you can live year round in California.
One house in California maybe cheaper than owning two homes when one is up north and one down in Florida.
I'm not giving up on California yet.
Re: Florida in the summer
I just moved to central Florida after spending several years in DC. DC gets just as hot and humid as central Florida during the summer. DC is hot from late May through late September. The difference is that DC also gets much colder. It's really the worst of all weather conditions. Daily average temperature of Orlando v. DC over the past year:VictoriaF wrote:In Washington, DC, there are usually about four very hot weeks every summer, and I usually miss most of them while traveling in Europe. If the summer in Florida is much longer, as other people have noted, it's more difficult to avoid. Every once in a while one can travel for three-four months at a time, but it's not a permanent solution. Having a winter home elsewhere would work, but that comes with the expense of maintaining two homes.Beth* wrote:I'm not advocating Washington, DC in the summer! I hate it. I remember pushing a stroller and a large two-year-old uphill in the summer and thinking that I was going to die. It's just that my experience was that Florida was even worse. My ideal climate is found in parts of California: generally 50 to 60 in the winter, 70 to 80 in the summer, with very low humidity. I love the weather in the San Francisco East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland), Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, etc. However, those are not cheap retirement destinations.Naismith wrote:Funny, that was our experience last time we took kids to Washington DC in 2011. We thought we would die of the heat--the National Zoo had spritzers on for people to go under and try to cool off.Beth* wrote:About 25 years ago, when living in Washington, DC, I went to visit relatives in Florida in the summer. The heat, bugs, and humidity were much worse than what we had in Washington. I didn't want to go outside at all.
Victoria
At least Florida has great winters, like today...it's 70 degrees outside, and I took a drive earlier in short sleeves with the top down .
Re: Florida in the summer
Fascinating chart--thanks for those data!
One thing, though, they do get a Northern-style colorful fall in DC. For a few years I was working on a project that required me to spend a few days there in October and I would purposely get off at Union Station and walk the full length of the Mall, shuffling my feet through the golden leaves.
We have other things in Florida. We may not have mountains, but we have sinkholes, some of which have been turned into state parks (e.g. Goldhead, Devil's Millhopper). If you are in the bottom and looking up, it kinda looks like a hill.
We have some great rivers for kayaking, canoeing and tubing, including camping shelters along the rivers. And there are some lovely bicycle trails. The West Orange Trail through Orlando and the Withlacoochee Trail through Inverness are both delightful. Soon there will be a Coast to Coast trail.
One thing, though, they do get a Northern-style colorful fall in DC. For a few years I was working on a project that required me to spend a few days there in October and I would purposely get off at Union Station and walk the full length of the Mall, shuffling my feet through the golden leaves.
We have other things in Florida. We may not have mountains, but we have sinkholes, some of which have been turned into state parks (e.g. Goldhead, Devil's Millhopper). If you are in the bottom and looking up, it kinda looks like a hill.
We have some great rivers for kayaking, canoeing and tubing, including camping shelters along the rivers. And there are some lovely bicycle trails. The West Orange Trail through Orlando and the Withlacoochee Trail through Inverness are both delightful. Soon there will be a Coast to Coast trail.