Miami has a tropical climate, so you can expect warm, humid summers and mild, dry winters. Located on the southeast coast of the peninsula, at almost 26 degrees north latitude, Miami is Florida’s second-largest city after Jacksonville (first if we count the metropolitan region).
Miami Average Temperatures
Month Min (°C) Max (°C) Mean (°C) Min (°F) Max (°F) Mean (°F)
January 16.1 24.6 20.3 61 76 68.6
February 17.3 25.7 21.5 63 78 70.7
March 18.7 27 22.8 66 81 73.1
April 21 28.7 24.8 70 84 76.7
May 23 30.4 26.7 73 87 80.1
June 24.6 31.8 28.2 76 89 82.8
July 25.3 32.6 28.9 78 91 84.1
August 25.4 32.6 29 78 91 84.2
September 24.9 31.7 28.3 77 89 82.9
October 23.4 29.9 26.7 74 86 80
November 20.2 27.4 23.8 68 81 74.8
December 17.9 25.7 21.8 64 78 71.2
Year 21.5 29 25.2 70.7 84.2 77.5
About 1,700 millimeters (67 inches) of precipitation falls annually. Even though the winter months of December through February get the lowest rainfall, there is no true dry season.
The summer months of May through October see a plenty of precipitation, although this is in the form of brief but intense showers and thunderstorms that do not cut into the daytime hours too drastically. Take a look at this graph to see how frequently it rains on average.
January 45 1.8 8
February 55 2.2 6
March 60 2.4 6
April 85 3.3 7
May 160 6.3 11
June 265 10.4 18
July 185 7.3 17
August 245 9.6 19
September 260 10.2 18
October 195 7.7 14
November 90 3.5 9
December 60 2.4 8
Year 1710 67.3 141
The months of December through February usher in mild temperatures. Precipitation is unusual and usually arrives on the peninsula from the mainland in the form of cold fronts.
Since we are so close to the Tropic of Cancer, we do not experience the cold waves that hit much of the United States but nonetheless, from December to March, we occasionally get a blast of chilly air that brings temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees Celsius at night while maintaining pleasantly warm daytime highs of roughly 18 to 20 degrees Celsius.
Night time lows in Miami reached -0.5 °C (31 °F) in January 1977, the same month that many U.S. states were affected by a severe cold wave; yet, daytime highs never dipped below 15 °C (59 °F), even during those days of low-temperature records.
The same thing happened on January 22, 1985, with temperatures ranging from -1°C (30 °F) to 15°C (59 °F). There was one day in January 2010 when the high temperature reached 9 degrees Celsius (about 48 degrees Fahrenheit).
Summer-like temperatures prevail during the brief spring and autumn months of March and April and November, respectively, with none of the stifling heat or frequent thunderstorms of the summer months.
Sea breezes provide some relief from the heat and humidity of the long summer (May to October). It’s not uncommon to see the sun shine, although showers and thunderstorms, which can occasionally be rather powerful, are common.
Key Largo
The sunshine in Miami is excellent throughout the year. There are 3,155 typical sunny days per year. March and April are the sunniest months (including taking day length into account), whereas the winter months are the least sunny although the sun still frequently appearing throughout this season.
Even though the sky is usually bright in the summer, clouds can and do form rather frequently, sometimes growing to produce showers and thunderstorms.
Miami Sunshine Hours
Month Average Total
January 7 220
February 7.5 215
March 9 275
April 10 295
May 9.5 300
June 9.5 290
July 10 310
August 9.5 290
September 8.5 260
October 8.5 260
November 7.5 220
December 7 215
Year 8.6 3155
Hurricanes are a possibility from June through November in Miami, as they are throughout the state and the Gulf of Mexico, with the peak season occurring between August and October.
Hurricanes like the “Great Miami Hurricane” of September 1926, Hurricane Okeechobee of September 1928, and Hurricane Andrew of August 1992 all made direct hits on southern Florida and caused significant damage.
Miami Weather December To April
The months of December through April are ideal for visiting Miami and the surrounding areas, such as the Keys and the Everglades. While it’s true that Miami enjoys the best winter weather of any major American city thanks to its sheltered location, mild temperatures and abundance of sunny days aren’t guaranteed.
Even while the water is still warm enough to swim in during the winter, the weather may not be conducive to a beach vacation. It’s most likely to be ideal in the midst of March and through the latter half of April.
Though the heat and the likelihood of thunderstorms both rise in May, you can still enjoy your trip. You may also visit over the extended summer, but the weather is likely to be hot and muggy, and hurricanes are always a possibility.
Even in the dead of winter, the water temperature in Miami’s ocean never falls below 23.5 degrees Celsius (74.5 degrees Fahrenheit), and during the summer it gets very warm, making it ideal for lengthy swimming. The typical water temperatures are listed below.
Miami Sea Temperature
Month Celsius (°C) Fahrenheit (°F)
January 23.5 75
February 23.5 74
March 24 75
April 25 77
May 27 80
June 28.5 84
July 29.5 85
August 30 86
September 29.5 85
October 28 83
November 26 79
December 25 77
Year 26.7 80