What is the climate classification of Miami? (warmest, record, temperatures)

[canefandynasty]

Subtropical or tropical?

[dhdh]

With an average temperature of 67°F/19.5°C for its coldest month, and quite high rainfall totals, it's definitely a tropical climate, at least according to most classifications, despite some occasional cold days.
Tropical doesn't mean "never cold". The vast majority of cities worldwide have experienced temperatures below 15°C, even in coastal Africa, Vietnam, Brazil, etc. Only a few coastal equatorial cities such as Jakarta and Singapore are always, always warm.

[Asagi]

Subtropical. Normal winter lows are usually somewhere between 35 and 42F although it can dip to below freezing in a 50 year freeze. Miami save the immediate coast, saw a light freeze last year and inland areas saw lows in the high 20s. Coconut Palms seem to be damaged there every 20 years or so. Ultra tropical vegetation like mangosteen, durian, rambutan etc. doesn't grow there reliably.

[Dd714]

Lows in the 30s and 40s? Are we talking Miami Florida? Hahah. Maybe in central florida where I lived for 30 years and even that is considered very cold, not in South Florida. Nooo sir. Miami is tropical and averages in the low 50s for winter lows, below 40 is a definite rarity. Yes I have seen it get below freezing there - and those are usually record breaking, once a century, temps.

[Asagi]

Originally Posted by Dd714

Lows in the 30s and 40s? Are we talking Miami Florida? Hahah. Maybe in central florida where I lived for 30 years and even that is considered very cold, not in South Florida. Nooo sir. Miami is tropical and averages in the low 50s for winter lows, below 40 is a definite rarity. Yes I have seen it get below freezing there - and those are usually record breaking, once a century, temps.

Not average lows, absolute lows. Below 40F is not a "rarity", here are the absolute winter January lows for Miami (can't find an exact location) for the last 10 years:
2011: 44F
2010: 35F
2009: 42F
2008: 38F
2007: 51F
2006: 46F
2005: 43F
2004: 48F
2003: 37F
2002: 42F
2001: 39F
2000: 43F
This is not including December and February. 4 times in the last 11 years is about a 36% chance of dropping below 40F, certainly not rare.

Maybe not Miami Beach, but Miami has dropped to or below freezing 3 times in the last 50 years, 2010, 1989, and 1977. That's not once a century.

Average lows in the 50s is certainly not beach weather...

[Infamous92]

Tropical: Coldest Month's Mean is 64°F and above

Subtropical: Coldest Month's Mean is 32°F and above
..................Warmest Month's Mean is 71°F and above

Miami has a Tropical Climate, climate classifications are very broad. Even still I think the presence of Coconut Palms are a major indicator of a Tropical Climate.

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by Infamous92

Tropical: Coldest Month's Mean is 64°F and above

Subtropical: Coldest Month's Mean is 32°F and above
..................Warmest Month's Mean is 71°F and above

Miami has a Tropical Climate, climate classifications are very broad. Even still I think the presence of Coconut Palms are a major indicator of a Tropical Climate.

Pretty much the way I understand it too:

According to climate classifications (mostly the Koppen and Trewartha) Miami is tropical;

In both these climate classifications, a location is considered tropical when all months have a mean temperature over 18 C (64.4 F). The coldest monthly mean temperature in Miami is 68 F (20 C) in January, so Miami falls into the tropical zone.

Also, there seems to be some confusion between average lows…and yearly extreme lows.

The average low in Miami in the three winter months is…Dec 63 F….January 60 F…and February 61 F.

Periodically, a few times each winter, extreme overnight lows will fall to less that 10 C (50 F) on 10 or so nights …and perhaps once or twice a year the overnight low will fall to under 45 F for a few hours. As far as beach weather, while there may be the rare 50 F morning in the Miami in the middle of winter...most winter days start in the lower 60's...and by noon is well over 74/75 F. Many days in deep winter are between 77 and 80 F, and with sunny skies and warm seas, it's perfect beach weather.

As far as Coconut palms...they grow quite well in Miami and have for two hundred years .

[Asagi]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

As far as Coconut palms...they grow quite well in Miami and have for two hundred years .

This is "fine"?
From the Miami Herald:
"The freezes and cold weather of December caused leaf damage to coconuts since they are tropical palms; some were killed.
The only thing you can do at this point is to give the palms time to recover. When fertilizing, research has shown that only 8-2-12 + 4 percent magnesium should be used within 50 feet of any landscape palm. This can be found at fertilizer companies and some smaller retail garden centers.
Since we are unlikely to have another freeze now, you can remove the dead fronds to make the palms look better.'
Cold did damage to coconut palms - Home & Garden - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/13/2108323/cold-did-damage-to-coconut-palms.html - broken link)

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by Asagi

This is "fine"?
From the Miami Herald:
"The freezes and cold weather of December caused leaf damage to coconuts since they are tropical palms; some were killed.
The only thing you can do at this point is to give the palms time to recover. When fertilizing, research has shown that only 8-2-12 + 4 percent magnesium should be used within 50 feet of any landscape palm. This can be found at fertilizer companies and some smaller retail garden centers.
Since we are unlikely to have another freeze now, you can remove the dead fronds to make the palms look better.'
Cold did damage to coconut palms - Home & Garden - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/13/2108323/cold-did-damage-to-coconut-palms.html - broken link)

I'm in Miami very often (family lives there)...and while there was some spotty damage to coconut palms from the cold they had back in January (on a few nights)...there are many areas where they (the palms) are 100% perfect. Much depends on how exposed they are, drought stress, etc. On the USA mainland, you will not find a better climate for coconut palms than south Florida.

You seem like you are trying to convince yourself that south Texas is in the same climate as south Florida. As others have pointed out above, this is not the case. South Texas is a warm subtropical climate...but's it's no Miami/south Florida for sure.

[Asagi]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

I'm in Miami very often (family lives there)...and while there was some spotty damage to coconut palms from the cold they had back in January (on a few nights)...there are many areas where they (the palms) are 100% perfect. Much depends on how exposed they are, drought stress, etc. On the USA mainland, you will not find a better climate for coconut palms than south Florida.

You seem like you are trying to convince yourself that south Texas is in the same climate as south Florida. As others have pointed out above, this is not the case. South Texas is a warm subtropical climate...but's it's no Miami/south Florida for sure.

Yes, Miami Beach looks better then the mainland but then a "tropical" climate shouldn't have to worry about what exposure their coconut palms should have, because it never gets as cold as Miami.

Where is this comparison with South Texas and South Florida? I have clearly stated twice in the Coconut Palm thread that South Texas is comparable to St. Petersburg-Tampa.