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Florida Keys Weather Makes
Florida Vacations Feel "Tropical"

Florida Keys weather is basically sub-tropical all year thanks to the moderating effects of the water surrounding it.

The narrow chain of islands which make up the Florida Keys are sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay on the west.

The water and the "cooler" breezes that come off these waters help to keep the temperature on land more pleasant and temperate.

In the hotter months, this usually makes the Florida Keys more comfortable than other parts of Florida.

The sub-tropical Florida Keys weather also means the islands enjoy a variety of incredibly beautiful plants turning the region into a true, tropical paradise.

Beautiful Bougainvillea Add to Florida Keys Charm


Beautiful Bougainvillea And White Shutters Add to Florida Keys Charm
Florida State Archives, Florida Memory, Dale M. McDonald Collection


Palms and beautiful exotic plants such as bougainvilleas, banana, papaya, ti plants, philodendrons, giant birds of paradise and other lush plant species fill and spill over garden walls and boulevards. It's this region's ability to grow such a diverse variety of plant life that has added to it's Caribbean like charm.

This also influences the way people dress. You are now on 'island time', there's no rush, and everything is very casual. The combination of proximity to the Caribbean, the laid back lifestyle and the warm weather has a strong impact on the wardrobe in the Florida Keys.




Interactive Florida Weather Maps

The following interactive Florida weather map is for the Florida Keys. It provides you with Florida Keys weather information from Miami south to Key West. This will make planning your Florida Keys vacation easier, helping with the decisions of what to bring, wear and expect. By clicking on this link you can see Florida weather conditions for specific areas in this region.

You'll find there are a number of different markers identifying the following areas in the Keys: Sand Key, Key West Airport, Key West Naval Station, Sombrero Key, Marathon Airport, Long Key, and Molasses Reef near Key Largo.

Florida Keys are a Tropical Paradise


Spectacular Key West Sunsets Add to the Beauty of This Tropical Paradise
Florida State Archives, Florida Memory, Dale M. McDonald Collection


The following link is for a much larger weather map providing an overview of the complete United States. This is interesting to look at, especially if you're Florida vacation plans include other places outside Florida and the Florida Keys.

There's also the detailed weather forecasts from the National Weather Service provided for each area. You can see current weather, short term forecasts, hazardous weather conditions, even marine conditions.

Click on the following links to see detailed conditions for weather in Florida Keys:

Key Largo weather conditions

Islamorada weather conditions

Marathon FL weather conditions

Key West weather conditions




What To Wear On A Florida Keys Vacation

Florida Keys weather also has quite an impact on how people dress. With the temperatures always warm and pleasant, people tend to dress casually so they're consistently comfortable all day long.

For the ladies, sun dresses, tank tops, shorts and jeans are most popular. Men are equally casual with their polo shirts, Hawaiian style shirts, and loose fitting shorts or light weight cotton pants.

Top this off with the quintessential pair of casual sandals or sneakers, add a broad brimmed hat and a pair of sunglasses, toss in a bathing suit and towel and you're good to go.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases such as these items and others listed further below.

A few other clothing accessories to consider bringing are a lightweight jacket or sweater if you're vacationing in the winter months.

In the summer, Florida Keys weather can be unpredictable. Rain showers will usually break out in the later afternoons, so an umbrella will be handy if your Florida travel plans are for this time of year.

Casual Dress is the Norm in the Florida Keys


Everyone Dresses "Florida Casual"
Florida State Archives, Florida Memory, Dale M. McDonald Collection


Even though casual clothing works just fine at Florida Keys restaurants, if you plan on some very fancy nights out, you may want to bring a dress that can pass as casually nice and for the men, a better polo shirt.




Breakdown Of The Florida Keys Climate

South Florida, including The Keys also enjoys just two seasons. The dry season which occurs during the winter months, and the rainy season which occurs in the summer.

Beginning June 1 when hurricane season starts is when the humidity begins to build. You'll also see thunder heads form in the skies in the early afternoon, and as the summer progresses, you'll often experience afternoon showers, or even occasional short lived downpours.

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Can be Intense


Florida Hurricane Rita Flooded Duval Street
Florida State Archives, Florida Memory, Dale M. McDonald Collection


This is also the time of year when waterspouts are seen more often. Occurring over water, they're not a concern for anyone on land, but if you happen to be boating, scuba diving or fishing, you'll want to keep an eye on the sky for this tornado like phenomenon.

The Florida Keys however do not receive as much rainfall as the rest of southern Florida. They also don't experience the same level of humidity. This is due to the cooling effects the water has upon the land. There will of course be some "stickiness" but it's not to the degree you would feel in Homestead or Miami.

Unfortunately bugs go hand in hand with the rain and humidity that's a standard part of Florida Keys weather. You'll experience some nasty little critters, with mosquitoes and no-seeums being particular nuisances. Knowing this, it's best for you to be prepared and always carry some form of no-see-um bug spray.

Another interesting aspect of Florida Keys weather is that typically there's only a nominal difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures.

Especially in the summer months, you'll find that the fluctuations are even less. On average, you can expect temperatures in January to run around 78 F for the high, and 58 F for the low. In mid-summer, the temperatures will average around 89 F for the high and 73 F for the low.

The water temperatures also barely fluctuate, which is one of the reasons the land temperature stays so temperate. This is also another reason why vacations in the Florida Keys are so popular.

Access to warm water all year equals lots of vacation fun. From late fall to early spring you can expect water temperatures to hover around the 72 - 75 F range. Running from about March through end of September the water heats up and the temperatures will run between 82 and 87 F.

These water temperatures also have a huge bearing on Florida Keys fishing. It determines where to fish, how deep to fish, and the types of Florida fish to target.

The water temperatures also are the reason Florida Keys hurricanes get so powerful. Warm water acts as fuel for hurricanes. As more water is sucked up into the hurricane's vortex, the strength of the Florida hurricane increases.

Hurricane Season Evacuation Sign

Florida Hurricane Season Evacuation Route Sign
Photo Courtesy K-Stick, Flickr


Florida hurricane season runs from June 1 through to November 30, with peak season being August and September. Ironically, even though the Florida Keys stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of heavy hurricane paths, they're rarely affected by direct hits.

Of course there have been exceptions to this rule. The devastating 1935 Labor Day hurricane destroyed not only the Flagler Railroad, but a large part of the Islamorada and Key Largo area.

In 2005 Hurricane Rita's outer bands bruised Key West on her way to the Louisiana - Texas border. Hurricane Wilma also packed a punch even postponing Fantasy Fest for a few months in 2005.

Hurricanes however, seem to have a tendency to go wide and to the east of the islands as they follow along the Atlantic Coast. They'll hit the Florida east coast from Miami north as well as other places along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

Some hurricanes take a different course and dip further south bypassing Key West FL on their more westerly trajectory. These hurricanes head out into the Gulf of Mexico where they pick up even hotter water. This gives them more speed and strength and they keep building until they eventually hit landfall anywhere from the Florida Panhandle to Texas.

Florida Keys weather is one of the biggest reasons people love to live in the area and vacation in the Florida Keys. Warm weather makes it possible to be outside all year. Whether you're boating, fishing, scuba diving, lying on a beach, sitting outside by the pool or swinging in a hammock - perfect Florida weather is something everyone enjoys.






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Local Weather Zip Codes

Key Largo - 33037
Marathon - 33050
Key West - 33040