Best time to visit Florida: Miami, Orlando, Keys

Florida is the warmest destination on the US mainland, but not equally warm everywhere. The south around Miami and the Florida Keys is subtropical and summery even in January, while in Orlando, in the middle of the state, winter nights can be chilly. In summer it is hot, humid and stormy almost every afternoon everywhere, and hurricane season runs from June to November. We analysed the weather data for 2015 to 2024 at three places.

The short answer

• Best time: March to May and November. Warm, mostly dry, outside the peak of hurricane season.
• Winter (December to February): ideal in the south, with 23 to 25 °C by day in Miami and Key West. Orlando gets 21 to 24 °C by day but only 11 to 14 °C at night.
• Summer (June to September): 30 to 31 °C, high humidity, afternoon thunderstorms, the most rain.
• Hurricane season: 1 June to 30 November, most active from mid-August to mid-October.

Temperatures in Florida: all 12 months

Temperature: monthly averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo), rounded. The values describe a grid cell of about 25 km. For Key West it lies mostly over the sea, so days there come out slightly cooler and nights warmer than measured on land.

Orlando shows the widest range: in January almost ten degrees separate day and night, while in July it reaches 31.5 °C by day and barely drops below 24 °C at night. In the south the temperature varies much less through the year.

Rain in Florida: dry and wet season

Rain: monthly totals, average 2015–2024, ERA5 via Open-Meteo.

The dry season runs roughly from December to April, the wet season from May to October. In summer it rarely rains all day: sunny mornings and heavy afternoon thunderstorms are typical, and it dries out quickly afterwards.

Florida month by month

December to February

High season in the south. In Miami and on the Keys, 23 to 25 °C by day is warm enough for the beach, although the sea is fresher than in summer. In Orlando the days are pleasant for the theme parks; bring a jacket for the evenings. Around Christmas and New Year the parks and hotels are very busy. For more warm places at this time: warm places in December and where to go in January for sun.

March to May

For many the best time: 26 to 29 °C in Miami, 27 to 31 °C in Orlando, and little rain until April. In March, US college spring break fills beaches and rooms in some places. The wet season starts gradually in May. See also where to go in March and where to go in April.

June to September

Hot and humid, 30 to 31 °C on average on the coast, 24 to 28 °C at night. Storms build almost every afternoon; in September Orlando averages 275 mm. Plan beach time and theme parks for the morning. On top of that comes hurricane season; most storms occur between mid-August and mid-October. Not every storm hits Florida, but travellers should follow the National Hurricane Center's warnings at this time.

October and November

The heat eases and the air gets drier. October is still in the active hurricane period; November, with 25 to 27 °C by day and less rain, is a very good month again. More: where to go in November.

What to do in the best months

In Miami Beach, Ocean Drive is lined with the Art Deco hotels of the 1930s, with the wide beach of South Beach behind them. West of Miami lies Everglades National Park. The park service describes the dry season, from about December to mid-May, as the time of low humidity and little rain; many animals then gather at the remaining water, for example along the Anhinga Trail.

From Miami to Key West along the Overseas Highway it is 258 km (about 4 hours of pure driving), and from Miami to Orlando 375 km (just over 4:20 hours). Allow about a third more; the highway across the islands has many stops worth making. You need a hire car^* almost everywhere in Florida. Orlando is home to the big theme parks; passes and tickets^* pay off mainly if you plan several attractions. On the Gulf coast, beaches such as Siesta Key near Sarasota are known for their fine white sand.

How YesTrip helps with this trip

Tell YesTrip when you will be where in Florida – the app plans day by day with real places on the map, from the beach in Miami to a day in the Everglades. In summer, the forecast for your travel days shows which days storms are likely. The packing list suggests clothes for the weather and reminds you about a US plug adapter. Travelling as a group, you share the trip and log shared expenses, such as the hire car, park tickets and accommodation.

What to know before you go

• Entry: British citizens travel under the Visa Waiver Program for tourist stays and need an approved ESTA travel authorisation before departure. The current rules are on the UK government's travel advice page.
• Flight: From London a direct flight to Miami or Orlando takes approx. 9.5 hours.
• Power: 120 volts and US flat-pin plugs (type A/B). You need an adapter; check that your chargers accept 120 volts.
• Time: most of Florida is five hours behind the UK.
• Mobile data: a travel eSIM^* is usually much cheaper than roaming.

Planning more in the USA? Read the best time to visit New York or see all destinations in the overview Best time to visit: where to go when.

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