User:Miami92
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[edit] Subtropical, not tropical, climate
Miami's climate is subtropical, not tropical. There is a distinct difference. See the article on Wikipedia under "subtropical". Aldofern 04:00, 23 February 2007 (UTC)
- Well according to Köppen classification, the climate of south Florida from Lake Okeechobee south is tropical. Pink = Aw = tropical. No one argues that it geographically lies in the subtropics, but the climate is (according to the source) considered tropical. A place doesn't have to be in the tropics to be "tropical". Key West is a tropical island, yet lies 30 miles north of the tropic of cancer. The word "tropical" according to Oxford is "of or pertaining to the tropics" i.e., tropical flora such as coconut trees, which are not found naturally north of the big lake. In this sense South Florida unarguably "pertains to the tropics". Besides, you can hardly cite Wikipedia as it's own source.
- I believe the confusion most likely stems from the fact that South Florida is subtropical (based on location) but the climate is tropical. Classification by place and climate are two different things. The summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro being nearly on the equator is no doubt tropical by place, yet it's covered in snow, so the climate is tundra, not tropical. - Marc Averette 02:43, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
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- Actually, I was looking at the numbers, and Miami's climate is indeed a tropical wet-and-dry (Aw) climate (at least at the coast), with the January mean being 67°F (boundary is 65°F). It quickly grades inland to a humid subtropical climate, but you are right. CrazyC83 02:13, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
Florida is surrounded by water on three sides, limiting southward movement of cold fronts and thus allowing a tropical climate to exist where it would not otherwise.→ R Young {yakłtalk} 14:40, 11 March 2007 (UTC)
- The Gulf Stream also contributes to the tropical climate, as the east coast from the Keys up to Port Saint Lucie is tropical, yet the west coast cities north of Naples (at 65) fall just short of tropical with Fort Myers having a mean January temp of 63.8. Normal Daily Mean Temperatures of Select Cities - Marc Averette 21:42, 14 March 2007 (UTC)
