On the heels of extreme heat last summer, we are leaving South Florida following the coolest three weeks we have ever experienced in this State. Characterized by highs in the upper 50s to 60s F, the prolonged chill was exacerbated by periods of rain and a persistent breeze.
While I generally prefer mild weather to warm, muggy conditions, this cool spell was both unexpected and a bit disappointing. We anticipate a "break from winter" when we head south but that ingrained conviction may become unreliable.
Indeed, as the global climate warms, regional effects may vary widely; records of average temperature and precipitation will be of historical interest only and long term forecasts will become even less reliable than they already are. It is hard enough to project the global impact of climate change; assumptions based on past local weather patterns will surely be invalid (if not amusing).
