The climate of the north and central parts of the US state of Florida is humid subtropical. Most of South Florida has a tropical climate.[1] There is a defined rainy season from May through October, when air mass thundershowers that build in the heat of the day drop heavy but brief summer rainfall. Late summer and early fall bring decaying tropical lows (and occasionally landfalling tropical cyclones) that contribute to late summer and early fall rains. In October the dry season sets in across much of Florida (starting early in the month in northern Florida and near the end of the month in deep southern Florida) and lasts until late April in most years. Fronts from mid-latitude storms north of Florida occasionally pass through northern and central parts of the state which bring light and brief winter rainfall. Mid and late winter can become severely dry in Florida. In some years the dry season becomes quite severe and water restrictions are imposed to conserve water[citation needed]. While most areas of Florida do not experience any type of frozen precipitation, northern Florida can see fleeting snow or sleet a few times each decade. The Gulf Stream running through the Florida Straits and then north off the Florida East Coast keeps temperatures moderate a few miles inland from around Stuart on the east coast to Ft. Myers on the west side of the state year round, with few extremes in temperature. The tropical ocean current also provides warm sea surface temperatures, giving Florida beaches the warmest ocean surf waters on the United States mainland.

The best time to visit South Florida and Miami is from December to April. In winter, Miami is definitely the warmest and most sheltered place throughout the United States, and there are many sunny days, however, even here, sometimes there can be cool and windy conditions, as well as some rain. In the center-north, where the risk of cold and rainy weather is higher, you can choose spring and autumn, ie March-April and October-November, although hurricanes are still possible in October. In the south, the sea is warm enough for swimming even in winter, although the weather is not always ideal: it can sometimes get cool, and even a little cold; hence, you can choose the period from mid-March to late April. In May, the heat begins to be felt and thunderstorms become more frequent, but you can still go for a beach holiday. Of course, you could also go in the long summer, but the heat is sweltering, and there is also the risk of hurricanes.

The season of hurricanes and tropical storms goes from June to November, although they are more likely from August to October. A particularly intense hurricane that hit Florida was the Labor Day hurricane, in August-September 1935. The areas most at risk are the coastal ones because of storm surges coming from the sea. The amount of sunshine in Florida is very good all year round, and it is no surprise that the state nickname is "Sunshine State". The sunniest months are March and April in the south and April and May in the north, while the least sunny season is winter, when, however, the sun often shines as well. In summer, as mentioned, the sky is not always clear: scattered clouds can form, and they can sometimes grow until they give rise to showers and thunderstorms, while later, the sun will come back. The south is slightly sunnier than the north: the sun shines 70% of the time in Miami, 66% in Tampa, and 60% in Pensacola.