Video:Months to Avoid in Florida

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Transcript:Months to Avoid in Florida

Hi, I’m Chris Kridler, a storm chaser based here in Florida, and for About.com, I’m going to tell you about some of the more extreme weather months here, months that travelers might like to avoid.

Florida is a great place to visit year-round, but some months are more perfect than others. Despite the occasional freeze, pleasant, dry winters draw travelers to the theme parks and the beaches. Other times of year, visitors face lots of rain, heat, lightning storms, and even hurricanes.

Florida's Hurricane Weather is Late Summer through Early Fall

The hurricane season extends from June 1 to November 30, but the peak months are August through October. Historically in Florida, September tops the list with 22 hurricane landfalls from 1851 to 2006.

As a visitor in Florida, you’ll be subject to the same hurricane hazards as the locals: high winds, torrential rain, flooding, and power outages. Cruises are re-routed, restaurants close, and air conditioning doesn’t work until the power comes back. Surfers like the waves, but they’re dangerous, too.

Florida has Stormy and Humid Summer Months

If you’re more concerned about temperature and rainfall, the humid summer months may be the ones that you want to avoid. In Orlando, the wettest months are June through August. Winter highs in the low 70s Fahrenheit become summer highs in the low 90s. In Miami, nice temperatures in the high 70s in the winter, with very little rainfall, give way to low 90s from June to August. June, August and September all have rainfall averages over 8 inches.

Visiting in summer? Then bring your umbrella, as well as your sunscreen, and watch out for lightning. Florida is the lightning capital of the United States and leads the country in lightning casualties. The most strikes occur in the summer months; the National Weather Service’s Melbourne office ranks August the busiest, followed by July and June. Central Florida - from the Tampa area on the west coast through Orlando to Cape Canaveral on the east coast - is often called Lightning Alley, but all of Florida is known for its lightning storms. The same sea breeze that cools off the coasts sets up an inland boundary in the atmosphere on which storms often sprout. If you hear thunder, seek shelter in an enclosed building or car.

Many visitors don’t mind the heat and humidity of summer, but it pays to be prepared for the weather extremes that Florida has to offer. Thank you for watching, and for more travel tips, visit About.com.