Florida Climate
Top 5 Cities: Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Fort Lauderdale
This month in numbers
Florida experienced its 14th warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 22.28°C, marking an anomaly of +1.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Maximum temperatures for April were also notably high, ranking as the 13th warmest at 28.89°C, an increase of +1.4°C. Precipitation levels were significantly below average, ranking 60th driest with 47.75 mm, a deficit of 15.3 mm. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
Over the past three months (February–April 2026), Florida recorded its 18th warmest period on record, with an average temperature of 19.32°C, an anomaly of +1.5°C. Maximum temperatures for this period ranked 9th warmest, at 26.15°C, an anomaly of +1.8°C. The region also experienced its 71st driest February–April period, with only 49.36 mm of precipitation, a substantial deficit of 33.5 mm. This dry trend has led to widespread drought conditions across Florida, with nearly all of the state facing at least "moderate" drought and almost 80% experiencing "extreme" conditions in April 2026. This marks the most severe drought for Florida since 2012. The Southeast climate region, which includes Florida, saw its driest January-April period on record in 2026.
What’s driving change?
The persistent dry conditions and elevated temperatures in Florida are primarily driven by a combination of factors. A strong, persistent subtropical ridge over the southeastern United States has contributed to abnormal heat and humidity, suppressing convective activity and allowing for warming and moisture buildup in the boundary layer. This has led to a significant drought, with many areas receiving less than half their normal rainfall since September 1, 2025. The effect is evident, as the lack of moisture in the soil prevents evaporative cooling, further intensifying heatwaves and increasing wildfire risk. Indeed, Florida has seen a surge in wildfires, with approximately 1,500 recorded in the first three months of 2026, putting the state on track to surpass the number of fires in the previous two years. Notable fires in April included a blaze in Broward County that scorched over 3,723 hectares (9,200 acres) and the Highway 41 Fire near Everglades National Park, which doubled in size to approximately 2,023 hectares (5,000 acres) by late April. Despite the widespread drought, some areas of South Florida experienced localised heavy rainfall and flooding in early April, with record rain triggering flooding across Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast. The current ENSO state is Neutral, but the NOAA CPC forecast indicates an 82% chance of El Niño developing by May-Jul, increasing to 98% by August-October. The typical teleconnection for El Niño in the Southeast USA during winter is cooler and wetter conditions, which could bring some relief to the ongoing drought in the coming months ENSO tracker.
Looking ahead
The NOAA CPC forecast suggests an increasing likelihood of El Niño developing in the coming months, which typically brings cooler and wetter conditions to the Southeast USA during winter, potentially offering some relief from the current drought.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Florida
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Florida changing?
Florida is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Florida come from?
Climate data for Florida comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Florida climate data cover?
The Florida climate profile covers Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and surrounding areas. Sea-level rise, hurricanes and the insurance crisis
How often is the Florida climate update refreshed?
The Florida climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.