Climate and Storm History of Broward County, Florida

Broward County, Florida, like much of the southern Atlantic Coast of the state, has a tropical monsoon climate.  Characteristics include hot, humid summers and short, warm winters.  The winters are also markedly drier than the summer months.  It has a sea-level elevation, coastal location, latitude just above the Tropic of Cancer, and proximity to the Gulf Stream, all of which shape its climate.

January temperatures average 67 degrees Fahrenheit, and all winter months feature mild to warm temperatures.  Cooler air may settle in after a cold front passes through the county, and it this phenomenon is what produces much of the very little winter rainfall. Lows may fall below 50 degrees, but very rarely below 35 degree.  In winter, highs generally range between 70–77.  The wet season begins in mid-May and typically ends in mid-October.  During this period, temperatures range from the mid 80s to low 90s, and are accompanied by high humidity.  The heat and humidity are often relieved by a passing afternoon thunderstorm or sea breeze developing off the Atlantic.  This will lower temperatures, but conditions usually remain quite muggy.  Most of the year's average of approximately 55 inches of rainfall occurs during the wet season.

A cold temperature extreme was recorded on February 3, 1917, at 27 degrees.  On the high end, a temperature reading of 100 degrees was recorded on July 21, 1940.  Broward County has rarely experienced any snowfall, certainly not measurable, and even snow flurries are scarce.

The official hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, although it is not unusual for a hurricane to develop outside those dates.  The most likely time for Broward County to be affected by hurricanes is mid-August through the end of September.  Tornadoes are uncommon in the Broward County area, though tornadoes may spin off of the hurricanes that strike the region.