Editing Polk County, Florida (section)

===Climate===
Polk County, like most of Florida, has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''). It lies in the [[Hardiness zone#United States hardiness zones (USDA scale)|USDA plant hardiness zone]] ''9b'', where the average annual minimum temperature is {{convert|25|-|30|F|C}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fraisse |first1=Clyde |title=USDA Plant Hardiness Information |url=http://www.southeastfloridaclimatecompact.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/USDA-Plant-Hardiness.pdf |access-date=October 16, 2018 }}</ref> The last measurable snow in the county [[Cold wave of January 1977#Florida|fell in 1977]], but snow flurries and sleet [[Snow in Florida#January 8, 2010 Central Florida wintery mix|fell on January 8, 2010]], over the course of an hour on an exceptionally cold day.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walter |first1=Shoshana |title=Snow, Sleet Pelt Frigid Polk |url=https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20100109/News/608065271/LL/ |access-date=October 16, 2018 |work=The Ledger |date=January 9, 2010 |location=Lakeland, Florida}}</ref>

During the summer [[wet season|rainy season]] from June to September, [[sea breeze]]s from both coasts move inland, where the moist air is heated and rises to form thunderstorms. On many days, the sea-breeze thunderstorms from both coasts move inland, colliding in Polk County to form especially strong thunderstorms.<ref name="FL Climate Book">{{cite book |last1=Collins |first1=Jennifer |last2=Paxton |first2=Charles |last3=Wahl |first3=Thomas |last4=Emrich |first4=Christopher |editor1-last=Chassignet |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Jones |editor2-first=James |editor3-last=Misra |editor3-first=Vasubandhu |editor4-last=Obeysekera |editor4-first=Jayantha |title=Florida's Climate: Changes, Variations, & Impacts |date=November 2017 |publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform |isbn=9781979091046 |doi=10.17125/fci2017 |chapter-url=http://floridaclimateinstitute.org/docs/climatebook/Ch20-Collins.pdf |access-date=October 16, 2018 |chapter=Climate and Weather Extremes}}</ref>{{rp|589}} Polk County is located in the middle of [[Distribution of lightning#Distribution|"lightning alley"]], which has more lightning annually than any region in the United States. Largely due to its size, the county receives the overall highest number of lightning strikes in the area.<ref name="FL Climate Book"/>{{rp|590–591}}

The Green Swamp is prone to fog in winter. In the predawn hours of January 8, 2008, smoke from a prescribed burn contributed to especially dense fog on Interstate 4 that caused a major pileup involving 70 vehicles in 10 separate crashes that resulted in five deaths.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maready |first1=Jeremy |title=One Year After Tragic I-4 Pileup, Questions Remain |url=https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20090108/News/608127525/LL/ |access-date=October 16, 2018 |work=The Ledger |date=January 8, 2009 |location=Lakeland, Florida}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Lakeland ([[Lakeland Linder International Airport|LAL]]), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1948–present
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 87
|Feb record high F = 90
|Mar record high F = 92
|Apr record high F = 95
|May record high F = 103
|Jun record high F = 105
|Jul record high F = 102
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F = 98
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 93
|Dec record high F = 87
|year record high F = 105
|Jan high F = 73.6
|Feb high F = 76.9
|Mar high F = 81.0
|Apr high F = 85.7
|May high F = 90.7
|Jun high F = 93.2
|Jul high F = 93.9
|Aug high F = 94.2
|Sep high F = 91.7
|Oct high F = 86.6
|Nov high F = 79.9
|Dec high F = 74.5
|year high F = 85.2
|Jan low F = 50.2
|Feb low F = 52.5
|Mar low F = 56.2
|Apr low F = 60.0
|May low F = 66.5
|Jun low F = 71.7
|Jul low F = 72.8
|Aug low F = 73.1
|Sep low F = 72.1
|Oct low F = 66.0
|Nov low F = 58.5
|Dec low F = 52.3
|year low F = 62.7
|Jan record low F = 20
|Feb record low F = 27
|Mar record low F = 25
|Apr record low F = 35
|May record low F = 47
|Jun record low F = 56
|Jul record low F = 64
|Aug record low F = 63
|Sep record low F = 62
|Oct record low F = 42
|Nov record low F = 28
|Dec record low F = 20
|year record low F = 20
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.59
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.67
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.68
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.54
|May precipitation inch = 3.19
|Jun precipitation inch = 8.74
|Jul precipitation inch = 7.88
|Aug precipitation inch = 7.51
|Sep precipitation inch = 6.10
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.60
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.79
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.88
|year precipitation inch =
| unit rain days = 0.01 in
| Jan rain days = 7.8
| Feb rain days = 7.4
| Mar rain days = 7.8
| Apr rain days = 6.4
| May rain days = 7.5
| Jun rain days = 14.4
| Jul rain days = 17.1
| Aug rain days = 16.8
| Sep rain days = 12.4
| Oct rain days = 6.9
| Nov rain days = 6.4
| Dec rain days = 5.9
| year rain days =
|Jan sun = 203.2
|Feb sun = 209.4
|Mar sun = 258.2
|Apr sun = 302.1
|May sun = 306.7
|Jun sun = 255.8
|Jul sun = 255.4
|Aug sun = 248.9
|Sep sun = 226.5
|Oct sun = 239.9
|Nov sun = 213.4
|Dec sun = 203.5
|year sun = 2923.0
|source 1 =<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=mlb|title=National Weather Service Climate|first=National Weather Service Corporate Image Web|last=Team|website=w2.weather.gov}}</ref>
}}

====Tropical cyclones====
[[File:Hurricane Irma max wind gusts Polk County.png|thumb|Maximum recorded wind gusts during Hurricane Irma (in mph)]]
[[File:Hurricane Charley wind field.png|thumb|left|Wind field of Hurricane Charley]]
The eyes of 12 hurricanes have passed through the county at hurricane strength in recorded history, including [[Hurricane Irma]] (2017, category&nbsp;1), [[Hurricane Jeanne]] (2004, category&nbsp;1), [[Hurricane Charley]] (2004, category&nbsp;2), [[Hurricane Donna]] (1960, category&nbsp;2), [[Hurricane King]] (1950, category&nbsp;1), the [[1949 Florida hurricane]] (category&nbsp;2), the [[1945 Homestead hurricane]] (category&nbsp;1), the [[1933 Treasure Coast hurricane]] (category&nbsp;1), the [[1928 Okeechobee hurricane]] (category&nbsp;2), [[1894 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Four|Hurricane Four of the 1894 season]] (category&nbsp;1), and [[1871 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Three|Hurricane Three of the 1871&nbsp;season]], and [[1859 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Eight|Hurricane Eight of the 1859 season]] (category&nbsp;1).<ref name="Historical Hurricane Tracks">{{cite web |title=Historical Hurricane Tracks |url=https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/ |website=NOAA Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool |publisher=NOAA |access-date=October 16, 2018}}<!-- searched for "Polk County (Civil), Polk County, FL", 1 nmi limit, unselected "ET", "TD", & "TS" under "Advanced Filters" --></ref> Additionally, four storms were downgraded from hurricane strength at a location outside the county to tropical storm force at some point within the county and, given the hours between [[National Hurricane Center]] updates (modern era) or earlier estimates, it is not clear whether these brought hurricane-force sustained winds to Polk County: [[Hurricane Frances]] (2004), [[Hurricane Erin (1995)]] [[1939 Atlantic hurricane season#Hurricane Two|Hurricane Two of the 1939 season]], and the [[1910 Cuba hurricane]] (category 1).<ref name="Historical Hurricane Tracks"/> Numerous tropical storms have passed through the county.<ref name="Historical Hurricane Tracks"/>

Hurricane Charley in 2004—the first of three hurricanes to hit the county in six weeks—is the strongest storm in recent history to pass through the county, mainly impacting the eastern half of the county. The Lake Wales Fire Department recorded an unofficial maximum wind speed of {{convert|95|mph|abbr=on}} sustained and a gust of {{convert|101|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chambliss |first1=John |last2=Rousso |first2=Rick |title=Charley Whips Through Polk |url=https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20040813/News/608120847/LL/ |access-date=October 16, 2018 |work=The Ledger |date=August 13, 2004 |location=Lakeland, Florida |quote=Over land, Charley lost some punch but still pummeled Lake Wales with gusts up to 101 mph and sustained winds of 95 mph for about 45 minutes, according to the Lake Wales Fire Department.}}</ref> The hurricane entered the county south of Fort Meade, shortly after it passed [[Wauchula, Florida|Wauchula]] (in Hardee County), where a maximum wind gust of {{convert|109|mph|abbr=on}} was recorded by emergency management officials.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldsmith |first1=Barry |title=Hurricane Charley Preliminary Storm Survey I |url=https://www.weather.gov/media/tbw/HurricaneCharley/text/charleylocalsummary.pdf |publisher=[[National Weather Service]] Tampa Bay Area Weather Forecast Office |access-date=October 16, 2018 |date=2004|pages=3–4}}</ref> The hurricane-force wind field was relatively narrow, with the most intense wind damage being within {{convert|10|mi|abbr=on}} of the center of the eye.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Linhares |first1=Mark |title=Hurricane Charley Preliminary Storm Survey II |url=https://www.weather.gov/media/tbw/HurricaneCharley/text/charleylocalsummary2.pdf |publisher=[[National Weather Service]] Tampa Bay Area Weather Forecast Office |access-date=October 16, 2018 |pages=1, 3 |date=2004}}</ref> For example, maximum recorded winds were only {{convert|41|kn|abbr=on}} sustained and a gust of {{convert|54|kn|abbr=on}} at [[Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport|Gilbert Airport]] on the northwest side of the city.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pasch |first1=Richard |last2=Brown |first2=Daniel |last3=Blake |first3=Erik |title=Tropical Cyclone Report - Hurricane Charley - 9-14 August 2004 |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL032004_Charley.pdf |publisher=National Hurricane Center |access-date=October 16, 2018 |page=8 |date=October 18, 2004}}</ref>