Today's weather for Miami, USA22nd Nov 2009 04:53

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Weather Overview for Miami

Miami, located in the United States’ sunny state of Florida, is one of America’s favourite holiday destinations. With a busy port that is crammed full of cruise liners year round, Miami is a popular with those who enjoy, and can afford, the high life.

Miami has a tropical climate which means high temperatures and high rainfall. Packing sunscreen and a selection of bikinis should be the top of your priorities. It’s location on Florida’s southern peninsula puts it in the Atlantic Hurricane belt and it is in the top three of American cities most at risk of direct hits. However, tropical storms occur in Miami about once every 4 years. To ease your mind even more, major hurricanes (which are Category 3 or higher) occur even less frequently; there have only been 15 hurricanes measuring over category 3 since 1851.

Miami’s annual weather is split up into a dry winter and a wet summer. Rainfall in Miami picks up in May and reaches its highest in June, August and September. Heat follows the same pattern. The heat and rain combined makes for high humidity that often makes things rather uncomfortable.

In April, the average monthly rainfall sits at 81mm for the month, before picking up to 173mm by May, and 234 mm by October. It then drops dramatically by November when it average precipitation is measured at about 71mm. Throughout the dry season storms still occur, but less frequently and rarely lasting long.

The ‘winter’ months of December, January and February see average highs of about 23°C to 24°C - not typical winter weather! Average daily minimums throughout winter fall to a pretty comfortable 16°C, with a pleasurable 8 hours of daily sunlight.

On January 19th, 1977 the city was briskly washed with very light snow flurries. This has only ever occurred once and residents are certainly not holding their breath for it to happen again! The coldest ever temperature recorded in Miami is -1°C.

June, July and August see the mercury rise. The maximum temperature in July and August sits at an average of 31°C and minimums fall to 24°C. Humidity in the mornings is about 75 percent falling to 68 percent by the evenings. The humidity and heat can sometimes prove to be quite uncomfortable but you can be assured that the ocean, a swimming pool or a beautiful air-conditioned resort is not too far away.

Due to Miami’s proximity to the equator means the sun makes its path through the middle of the sky so average daily sunlight doesn’t vary much month to month, the minimum daily sunlight being 7 hours and maximum in the height of summer being 9 hours.

Summers are hot and winters vary rarely get cold, so Miami is a great getaway year round. Miami may be the retirement capital of the United States, but it is a cosmopolitan city with a buzzing nightlife and an envious tropical climate in which to enjoy it.

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