Winter Snow Birding in Florida

silversand wrote:
Reading the OP's responses carefully, the OP is really an ocean-front kinda guy (like us).

We're experimenting with Florida snowbirding, and the following are our observations thus far (including this past "winter" in Florida):

-the Atlantic-side and Gulf-side water temperatures are Arctic-like over most of the winter season north of Ft Myers (Gulf) and Miami (Atlantic); we sampled the waters this winter, and I almost froze my feet just north of Cape Canaveral and in the Cedar Key region (I mean stone-cold numb in ~20 seconds or less)

-when you are established sea-side, the winter oceanic winds are bloody cold 'll tell you in Florida north of the above discussion (we had to wear Pertex winter expedition jackets ~40% of the time walking the beaches against terrific cold damp winds when they were blowing from over the salt water on to shore!)

-we had the massive heater (60,000+ BTU) CRANKED at the ocean-front condo just north of the Orlando latitudes during part of January and most of February (I couldn't even imagine being in an RV anywhere near the ocean from Naples/Miami on north; if you do park an RV close to the ocean/Gulf north of the aforesaid locales, bring lots of money for propane and/or electricity for heat, and make SURE that your furnace is in exceptional condition, and bring spare electric blankets!)

-the Florida Panhandle this past winter (and I mean from Cedar Key on North(!!) could only be equated to deep Fall in Northern Vermont (I couldn't EVER imagine dumping off the DW in the Panhandle over winter, to return home from a commute to a pile of divorce papers awaiting me).

Some say that this winter (both in the RGV region of Texas, and MOST of Florida) was anomalous; I say: just investigate the past 6 years of temperature choropleth maps at NOAA for regions north of Naples/Miami/Ft Lauderdale, and they may convince you that this "Polar Vortex" situation will be with us to stay for the rest of our natural lives (some winters may be moderate in Florida and the RGV, and the next season may be a hellacious Arctic onslaught far into the deep south).

So, concluding, our experience tells us that even toying with wintering at the latitude of Ft Myers could be iffy; I mean if you are spending the BIG BUCKS to winter ocean-front, why gamble it on ANYTHING but a sure thing! Perhaps yours and my idea of shorts and T-shirt weather criteria may differ somewhat? My idea of S & T weather wouldn't include ANY locale north of Key Largo or Marco Island latitudes...that is for sure.

This has been our experience; your mileage may vary based on your criteria of what "warm weather" means to you...

Good luck!
Silver-

Winters are like a "box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get"
Last winter in Florida, I was in Palmetto, the Winter was fantastic, went swimming at Venice Beach, DeSoto state park, water was great. I alway monitor the weather in three places, that Winter Florida had better weather than South Texas, and Yuma, winter weather in Yuma was alful that Winter.
This Winter I went to Yuma, you could not ask for better weather, infact, early March we were getting into the low 90's for a few days. While South Texas wasn't worth bragging about and Florida was terrible.
But where ever you go, any of these three, it has got to be better than up North.