Florida Weather

[BA Baracus]

I have been to Florida quite a few times over the last 10 years or so and have been amazed by the weather they have there. I have been in winter and summer and been through most of what the weather has to throw at this state. I have not been there during a hurricane, but have experienced a tropical storm (can't remember the name as I was only young) which was quite scary at the time. The list of weather events I witnessed are:

- Closest I have ever been to a cloud to ground strike, no more than 50ft away (struck a burger king sign)

- Largest hail I have ever seen, marble size

- Most intense storm I have ever encountered (in lightning alley near Tampa), ferocious gusts of wind, driving hail and continual lightning alll around

- Heaviest rain, almost 6 inches in an afternoon

- One and only view of a funnel cloud, with a tornado warning in the area

- Largest temperature variation, 90F max temp with warm southerly breeze one day followed by 54F max temp and cold northerly wind, the following day

- What seems like the largest, darkest, most spectacular storm clouds I have ever seen

Every time I visit in the summer months I look forward to the afternoon storms, which are spectacular but last no more than a couple of hours. Does anyone else have any experiences of weather in the Sunshine State of Florida?

[WhiteFox]

Does anyone else have any experiences of weather in the Sunshine State of Florida?

This is the bit that amuses me! At a guess I'd say that Arizona is considerably more sunny than Florida, with many of the Southwest states easily rivalling for sunshine. I suppose 'The Subtropical State' doesn't have the same ring to it! I was in Florida (Fort Lauderdale) in February; it was pleasant to get away from the cold of winter for a week, but it was thundery for a couple of days when I was there. They do have more thunderstorms than any other state I believe.

[BA Baracus]

This is the bit that amuses me! At a guess I'd say that Arizona is considerably more sunny than Florida, with many of the Southwest states easily rivalling for sunshine. I suppose 'The Subtropical State' doesn't have the same ring to it! I was in Florida (Fort Lauderdale) in February; it was pleasant to get away from the cold of winter for a week, but it was thundery for a couple of days when I was there. They do have more thunderstorms than any other state I believe.

The sunshine levels do vary depending on which part of Florida you visit. Clearwater on the Gulf Coast, for example, has (apparently) approximately 360 days sunshine a year [could anyone confirm this with records etc. or perhaps show which is the suniest part of America?]. On a visit there from Orlando, the weather was terrible on the drive over. But as we arrived over the causeways from the mainland there was nothing but clear blue skies. You could see the clouds developing just to the east that were bringing the rain, but nothing for Clearwater itself. I'd agree that Sunshine State is probably a bit factually inaccurate, but as you say, Sub-Tropical State or Lightning State don't have the same ring to them!

[kold weather]

Are you planning to go out there again BA Baracus?

Certainly Florida weather can be interesting, the afternoon storms have are something I'd like to see...plus I would love to see the power of a cat-1/2 hurricane, tohugh I'm not sure I'd be prepared to see above that unless I knew I was safe...

I'm strongly thinknig about going on a hurricane chase summer 08 IF a suitable system develops.

[BA Baracus]

Are you planning to go out there again BA Baracus?

Certainly Florida weather can be interesting, the afternoon storms have are something I'd like to see...plus I would love to see the power of a cat-1/2 hurricane, tohugh I'm not sure I'd be prepared to see above that unless I knew I was safe...

I'm strongly thinknig about going on a hurricane chase summer 08 IF a suitable system develops.

Hopefully summer 2008 will be the next time I visit, not specifically for the but it's an added bonus! The afternoon storms are spectacular with unbelieveable amounts of lightning. The forecasts on TV out there are also good to watch (particularly weather plus on WESH http://www.wesh.com ) with live radar and lightning counts.

[Ross B]

I'm here at the moment, we have had 2 storms overhead and 2 in the distance during the last 10days. Which is not bad i suppose... I think it was 2 years ago we were here in July and it was the wettest or second wettest ever. It was amazing, thunderstorms started at 10am and never finished til 6 in the evening. We were averaging about 4 per day! The rest of the family hated that but i was loving it! lol.

[Ross B]

If you would like to see something interesting, look at the Florida radar right now...

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=mlb...111&loop=no

Notice how the storms are all hugging the Coast

Not looking good for my Nascar Driving experience tommorrow. a few inches of rain is expected overnight and tommorrow..

[WhiteFox]

Not looking good for my Nascar Driving experience tommorrow. a few inches of rain is expected overnight and tommorrow..

How hard can it be anyway? Driving round and round an oval track...

[Cookie]

If you would like to see something interesting, look at the Florida radar right now...

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=mlb...111&loop=no

Notice how the storms are all hugging the Coast

Not looking good for my Nascar Driving experience tommorrow. a few inches of rain is expected overnight and tommorrow..

looks quite spectaular!

[Ross B]

How hard can it be anyway? Driving round and round an oval track...

It's not hard and it wasn't an oval track.. considering i drove the car to 122mph (they wouldn' let me go any faster) There is actually no grooves on the tyres so even the slightest bit of rain and you have no grip, coupled with the fact the corners are banked and surrounded in conrete walls, its slightly dangerous in the rain... Not to mention the fact driving in a normal car in Florida rain is hard enough because of low visibility never mind doing 100mph+ (which would be impossible because of surface water)