Editing Everglades (section)

==Climate==
[[File:Hurricane Charley 13 aug 2004 1635Z.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Hurricane Charley]] in [[2004 Atlantic hurricane season|2004]] moving ashore on South Florida's Gulf of Mexico coast]]

The climate of [[South Florida]] is located across the broad transition zone between [[Humid subtropical climate|subtropical]] and [[tropical climate]]s ([[Köppen climate classification|Koppen]] [[Tropical savanna climate|Aw]], [[Tropical monsoon climate|Am]] and Cfa). Like most regions with this climate type, there are two basic seasons – a "dry season" (winter) which runs from November through April, and a "wet season" (summer) which runs from May through October. About 70% of the annual rainfall in south Florida occurs in the wet season – often as brief but intense tropical downpours. The dry season sees little rainfall and dew points and humidity are often quite low. The dry season can be severe at times, as wildfires and water restrictions are often in place.

The annual range of temperatures in south Florida and the Everglades is rather small (less than {{convert|20|°F|°C|abbr=on|disp=sqbr}}) – ranging from a monthly mean temperature of around {{convert|65|F}} in January to {{convert|83|F}} in July. High temperatures in the hot and wet season (summer) typically exceed {{convert|90|F|C}} across inland south Florida (although coastal locations are cooled by winds from the [[Gulf of Mexico]] and the Atlantic Ocean), while high temperatures in the dry winter season average from {{convert|70|to|79|F}}. Frost and freeze are rare across south Florida and the Everglades; annually coastal cities like Miami and Naples report zero days with frost, although a few times each decade low temperatures may fall between {{convert|30|and|40|F}} across South Florida. The [[plant hardiness zone]]s are 10a north with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 30 to 35&nbsp;°F (−1 to +2&nbsp;°C), and 10b south with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of {{convert|35|to|40|F|C}}.<ref name="USDA">{{cite web|url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx|publisher=[[United States Department of Agriculture]]|access-date=2019-07-02|title=USDA Interactive Plant Hardiness Map}}</ref> Annual rainfall averages approximately {{convert|62|in|cm}}, with the Eastern Coastal Ridge receiving the majority of precipitation and the area surrounding Lake Okeechobee receiving about {{convert|48|in|cm}}.<ref name="usgs climate"/>

Unlike any other wetland system on earth, the Everglades are sustained primarily by the atmosphere.<ref>Lodge,&nbsp;p.14.</ref> [[Evapotranspiration]] – the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration from the Earth's land surface to atmosphere – associated with thunderstorms, is the key mechanism by which water leaves the region. During a year unaffected by drought, the rate may reach {{convert|40|in|cm}} a year. When droughts take place, the rate may peak at over {{convert|50|in|cm}}, and exceed the amount of rainfall.<ref>{{cite web| last = U.S. Geological Survey| title = Regional Evaluation of Evapotranspiration in the Everglades| work = FS-168-96| publisher = U.S. Department of the Interior| year = 2004| url = http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/fs/168-96/| access-date = 2008-03-17}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> As water leaves an area through evaporation from groundwater or from plant matter, activated primarily by solar energy, it is then moved by wind patterns to other areas that border or flow into the Everglades watershed system. Evapotranspiration is responsible for approximately 70–90&nbsp;percent of water entering undeveloped wetland regions in the Everglades.<ref name="obeysekera">{{cite journal| last = Obeysekera| first = Jayantha|author2=Browder, J. |author3=Hornrung, L. |author4=Harwell, M.| title = The natural South Florida system I: Climate, geology, and hydrology| journal = Urban Ecosystems| volume = 3| issue =3/4| pages = 223–244| publisher = Kluwer Academic Publishers|date=October 1999| doi = 10.1023/A:1009552500448 | s2cid = 2526625}}</ref>

Precipitation during the wet season is primarily caused by air mass thunderstorms and the easterly flow out of the subtropical high (Bermuda High). Intense daytime heating of the ground causes the warm moist tropical air to rise, creating the afternoon thundershowers typical of tropical climates. 2:00&nbsp;pm is the mean time of daily thundershowers across South Florida and the Everglades. Late in the wet season (August and September), precipitation levels reach their highest levels as tropical depressions and lows add to daily rainfall. Occasionally, tropical lows can become severe tropical cyclones and cause significant damage when they make landfall across south Florida. Tropical storms average one a year, and major hurricanes about once every ten years. Between 1871 and 1981, 138&nbsp;tropical cyclones struck directly over or close to the Everglades.<ref name="usgs climate">{{cite web| last = U.S. Geological Survey| title = Environmental Setting – The Natural System: Climate| work = Circular 1134: The South Florida Environment – A Region Under Stress| publisher = U.S. Department of the Interior| year = 2004| url = http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1134/esns/clim.html| access-date = 2008-03-17| archive-date = May 13, 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080513065506/http://sofia.usgs.gov/publications/circular/1134/esns/clim.html| url-status = dead}}</ref> Strong winds from these storms disperse plant seeds and replenish [[mangrove]] forests, coral reefs, and other ecosystems. Dramatic fluctuations in precipitation are characteristic of the South Florida climate. [[Drought]]s, [[flood]]s, and tropical cyclones are part of the natural water system in the Everglades.<ref name="obeysekera"/>

{{Weather box |width=auto	
|location = 36 mi WNW Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida (1981 – 2010 averages).	
|single line = Y	
|Jan high F =	76.7
|Feb high F =	78.9
|Mar high F =	81.1
|Apr high F =	84.9
|May high F =	88.6
|Jun high F =	90.8
|Jul high F =	91.9
|Aug high F =	92.0
|Sep high F =	90.4
|Oct high F =	87.1
|Nov high F =	82.1
|Dec high F =	78.4
|year high F=	85.3
| Jan mean F =	66.5
| Feb mean F =	68.6
| Mar mean F =	70.8
| Apr mean F =	74.0
| May mean F =	78.2
| Jun mean F =	82.0
| Jul mean F =	83.5
| Aug mean F =	83.9
| Sep mean F =	82.8
| Oct mean F =	79.5
| Nov mean F =	73.8
| Dec mean F =	69.0
| year mean F =	76.1
|Jan low F =	56.2
|Feb low F =	58.3
|Mar low F =	60.5
|Apr low F =	63.1
|May low F =	67.7
|Jun low F =	73.1
|Jul low F =	75.1
|Aug low F =	75.8
|Sep low F =	75.3
|Oct low F =	71.8
|Nov low F =	65.4
|Dec low F =	59.5
|year low F=	66.9
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation inch =	1.62
|Feb precipitation inch =	2.03
|Mar precipitation inch =	2.75
|Apr precipitation inch =	2.56
|May precipitation inch =	4.45
|Jun precipitation inch =	8.70
|Jul precipitation inch =	7.11
|Aug precipitation inch =	7.42
|Sep precipitation inch =	7.01
|Oct precipitation inch =	4.02
|Nov precipitation inch =	2.08
|Dec precipitation inch =	1.38
|year precipitation inch=	51.13
| humidity colour = green	
| Jan humidity =	74.6
| Feb humidity =	73.0
| Mar humidity =	70.7
| Apr humidity =	68.3
| May humidity =	70.7
| Jun humidity =	75.3
| Jul humidity =	74.7
| Aug humidity =	76.2
| Sep humidity =	77.6
| Oct humidity =	76.6
| Nov humidity =	75.6
| Dec humidity =	75.4
| year humidity =	74.1
|source 1 = PRISM Climate Group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/|title=PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U|website=www.prism.oregonstate.edu|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref>}}	
	
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"	
|-	
! scope="col"| Month	
! scope="col"| Jan	
! scope="col"| Feb	
! scope="col"| Mar	
! scope="col"| Apr	
! scope="col"| May	
! scope="col"| Jun	
! scope="col"| Jul	
! scope="col"| Aug	
! scope="col"| Sep	
! scope="col"| Oct	
! scope="col"| Nov	
! scope="col"| Dec	
! scope="col"| Year	
|-	
! scope="row"| Average [[Dew Point]]&nbsp;°F	
| style=text-align:center;" |	58.2
| style=text-align:center;" |	59.6
| style=text-align:center;" |	60.8
| style=text-align:center;" |	62.9
| style=text-align:center;" |	67.9
| style=text-align:center;" |	73.4
| style=text-align:center;" |	74.6
| style=text-align:center;" |	75.6
| style=text-align:center;" |	75.1
| style=text-align:center;" |	71.5
| style=text-align:center;" |	65.6
| style=text-align:center;" |	60.9
| style=text-align:center;" |	67.2
|-	
! scope="row"| Average [[Dew Point]]&nbsp;°C	
| style=text-align:center;" |	14.6
| style=text-align:center;" |	15.3
| style=text-align:center;" |	16.0
| style=text-align:center;" |	17.2
| style=text-align:center;" |	19.9
| style=text-align:center;" |	23.0
| style=text-align:center;" |	23.7
| style=text-align:center;" |	24.2
| style=text-align:center;" |	23.9
| style=text-align:center;" |	21.9
| style=text-align:center;" |	18.7
| style=text-align:center;" |	16.1
| style=text-align:center;" |	19.6
|-	
| colspan="14" | <div style="text-align: center;"> Source = PRISM Climate Group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/|title=PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State U|website=www.prism.oregonstate.edu|access-date=July 2, 2019}}</ref></div>
|}

{{Weather box|width=auto
|location = Royal Palm Ranger Station, Florida, 1991&ndash;2020 normals, extremes 1949&ndash;present
|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 92
|Feb record high F = 97
|Mar record high F = 101
|Apr record high F = 102
|May record high F = 107
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 102
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 105
|Oct record high F = 106
|Nov record high F = 99
|Dec record high F = 95

|Jan avg record high F = 86.8
|Feb avg record high F = 88.4
|Mar avg record high F = 91.2
|Apr avg record high F = 93.3
|May avg record high F = 95.9
|Jun avg record high F = 97.1
|Jul avg record high F = 97.3
|Aug avg record high F = 97.3
|Sep avg record high F = 96.8
|Oct avg record high F = 94.7
|Nov avg record high F = 90.1
|Dec avg record high F = 87.5
|year avg record high F = 99.4

| Jan high F = 78.0
| Feb high F = 80.9
| Mar high F = 83.3
| Apr high F = 86.4
| May high F = 89.4
| Jun high F = 91.1
| Jul high F = 92.5
| Aug high F = 92.6
| Sep high F = 91.3
| Oct high F = 88.0
| Nov high F = 83.2
| Dec high F = 80.0
|year high F = 86.4
|Jan mean F = 66.6
|Feb mean F = 68.7
|Mar mean F = 70.7
|Apr mean F = 74.2
|May mean F = 78.0
|Jun mean F = 81.6
|Jul mean F = 83.0
|Aug mean F = 83.5
|Sep mean F = 82.8
|Oct mean F = 79.4
|Nov mean F = 73.5
|Dec mean F = 69.3
|year mean F = 75.9
| Jan low F = 55.1
| Feb low F = 56.5
| Mar low F = 58.0
| Apr low F = 62.0
| May low F = 66.6
| Jun low F = 72.0
| Jul low F = 73.5
| Aug low F = 74.3
| Sep low F = 74.2
| Oct low F = 70.9
| Nov low F = 63.8
| Dec low F = 58.6
|year low F = 65.5

|Jan avg record low F = 38.9
|Feb avg record low F = 41.7
|Mar avg record low F = 43.7
|Apr avg record low F = 50.3
|May avg record low F = 58.0
|Jun avg record low F = 67.8
|Jul avg record low F = 70.3
|Aug avg record low F = 71.0
|Sep avg record low F = 70.8
|Oct avg record low F = 61.3
|Nov avg record low F = 52.1
|Dec avg record low F = 44.5
|year avg record low F = 35.8

|Jan record low F = 24
|Feb record low F = 29
|Mar record low F = 31
|Apr record low F = 37
|May record low F = 49
|Jun record low F = 50
|Jul record low F = 66
|Aug record low F = 66
|Sep record low F = 64
|Oct record low F = 49
|Nov record low F = 31
|Dec record low F = 27

|precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.70
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.82
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.93
| Apr precipitation inch = 2.85
| May precipitation inch = 5.84
| Jun precipitation inch = 9.00
| Jul precipitation inch = 6.82
| Aug precipitation inch = 8.57
| Sep precipitation inch = 9.01
| Oct precipitation inch = 5.55
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.39
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.88
|year precipitation inch = 57.36
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 6.6
| Feb precipitation days = 6.5
| Mar precipitation days = 6.7
| Apr precipitation days = 6.3
| May precipitation days = 10.9
| Jun precipitation days = 17.2
| Jul precipitation days = 17.2
| Aug precipitation days = 19.2
| Sep precipitation days = 18.3
| Oct precipitation days = 12.6
| Nov precipitation days = 7.8
| Dec precipitation days = 6.6
| year precipitation days = 135.9
|source 1 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=mfl
| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = May 9, 2021
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00087760&format=pdf
| title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991&ndash;2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = May 9, 2021
}}</ref> }}