Acclimating to Florida’s Summers
 

Curious as to how others have/ have not acclimated to living in Florida during the summer months.

I’m from the West (California, then 20 years in Colorado), where the summer temperatures generally peaked around the mid 80s during the day (50s at night), with very low humidity. My Colorado home didn’t even have air conditioning. I’ve never done well with heat, and that was the only real concern I had about moving to Florida.

Last summer, was my first summer here, and everyone told me that it was hotter than normal. We’ve already had some toasty temps this year, and I have seemed to have already surprisingly adapted to the Florida heat/humidity. I get out early in the morning for my physical activities, stay indoors for a few hours during the afternoons, then back out again for evening and social activities. I’ve come to actually look forward to summers here (way less crowded and I like the fact that it’s already warm when you wake up).

Have you adapted well to Florida summers, or is it a season you don’t look forward to?

Find a shady, breezy spot at one of the pools when it’s too hot for you and you will be fine.

How do you acclimate?

Embrace it!

It is gonna be in the mid-90's here with more or less high humidity until October. You can choose to huddle around your A/C unit moaning about the GAWDawful heat, or you can make up your mind to enjoy it. It is like anything else: you can acclimate really fast if you make up your mind to do it and keep a positive attitude.

The Villages, as well as Florida in general, really lives up to it's name in the summer. Flowers--both wild and domestic--abound. Lawns and golf courses are a lush green that they never achieve in the winter. Snowbirds by and large have flown north, so tee times and restaurant reservations are a lot easier to get. If pickleball, tennis, etc. are your thing, courts (especially in the afternoons) are readily available and most of them have ice-cold water available for the patrons. Life moves slower here in the summer and people by and large seem friendlier. Bear in mind that "hot and humid" are guaranteed, but the thermometer almost never reaches triple digits here and an ample supply of water will get you through even extended outdoor sessions. Just don't forget your umbrella, or you might end up cooling off really quick! Those storms can blow up out of nowhere.

Shady area at pools and nicely air conditioned rec centers

Given cold tightens my back muscles, irritating my discs, we are back in MA after a month in TV, and find it cold in MA
The daily high here is the same as the daily low in FL, so we are in long pants and shirts. .

Spent a week in FL 15 years ago, including snorkeling in the Keys, and upon return to NE in the summer, the ocean water just looked too cold to swim in again. . . Took about 5 years to get back in the ocean in NE after growing up in/on it.

embrace it, and its just a schedule adjustment like a snowstorm in the winter.

Suggestions for clothing?
 

Great thread... I'm beginning to pack for a lifestyle visit. Any suggestions for clothing to help deal with the heat?

Thanks,

-George

T shirt and shorts

7 years and I still hate the heat. I can take it if it's 95 and cloudy but most of the time is sunny and that really adds to the heat.

We just pack and go north, is our answer to adjusting to heat. We also had a Chiller:cold: added to the pool to enjoy during summer. Not a fan of temp over 70, to say you get used to extreme heat, as you age one can have less mass, less muscle, cold is a norm. So maybe that’s how one acclimated to southern heat.

Doesn’t matter where you live elderly are cold in their house, car. Pretty sure our parents keep their heat on year round. 80-84 is their inside temp, and still wear a sweater. It’s hard to spend 5 minutes in their house.

OP, I would think about heading to Colorado (especially if I had lived there) for some relief during the summer. We stayed a couple of summers in TV. After a month or two, the heat and humidity just got old. We spent some time at the Beach too. Life is too short and we still like to travel some. We go to Illinois and also vacation in other cooler places like Colorado. A lot to like about the mountains during part of the summer. To each his own.

Colorado is a beautiful place all year long, but summers are near-perfect, especially in Colorado Springs where I moved from (runs about ten degrees cooler than the Denver metro area in the summer), and you are then just minutes from the high country (8500 feet and above elevation), where the temps are even cooler, and can get down right chilly on summer nights. I’ll be back for a week or two this summer to visit all my friends there.

I haven't lived in California for 50 years, but I still miss that Big Sur weather from my hippy phase, when I spent a year in a tent in an old-growth redwood forest, down the lane from David Crosby's brother's teepee. A few years later, I found myself in Denver for nine month's training at Lowry Air Force Base. The summer was nice, but the only thing good about the winter was the skiing. 20 degrees and icy mountain roads make for miserable and dangerous Harley riding. Then I did three years in Plattsburgh, NY and discovered a huge appreciation for Southern weather. Yeah, you didn't need A/C for that 3 weeks when you didn't have to shovel a tunnel through the snow to get to your mailbox, but there is no way to describe what 50 below zero with a 20mph wind feels like when you're trying to work on an FB111A on a flight line. I swore I would never live anywhere cold ever again.

So I wound up in Tulsa, and then Houston. You haven't experienced summer until you've spent an August in Houston over 100 degrees, with 95% humidity -- and Tulsa is not much better. Still, way better than Plattsburgh in January, but Florida in August is heaven compared to either one.

And there is no place on Planet Earth with better weather than Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. So what. I wouldn't live in California today on a bet, even if I could afford it. All those hippies out there ruined it. Apparently a bunch of them never grew up.

I can handle heat, but humidity is very challenging. I know it affects some people more than others because I can see most people are not sweating through their t-shirts and I am. Not even from exercise, just routine activity when it is really humid. We get some relief in CT, for example today it is 76 with 47% humidity and it is perfect. But it will be hot and humid here for all of July and August and half of September....uncomfortable, but a few degrees lower than The Villages and several points less humidity. Nonetheless, we plan on visiting The Villages in the middle of the summer for a month....I guess that makes us snowflakes instead of snowbirds...we miss the place and six months is too long between visits.

I did a search: coldest weather in Plattsburg NY: 1981 -34.
I agree that's COLD, but -50 is just exaggeration. Just saying.

If you’re in reasonably good shape At 61 you should be able to cope with it. There will be magical age were you can’t cope with heat and high humidity. For me once I hit 72 I hit brick wall I feel old and can no longer cope with heat and humidity between 10 to 5 outdoors activities. My skin can’t cope anymore either. :shrug:

Think going to desert in summer time. The less and lighter the better..:undecided:

Coldest recorded in areas they was taking measurements.
Probably wind chill effect. Either way once get below -10 or -20 it’s cold.

To me once it goes below 30 degrees it is cold.

There is no acclimating for me. There's sweating, sticky skin, twice-daily change of clothing, cold wet towels on my neck and head, being inside in air-conditioning, arthritis joint swelling, headaches, and just general misery. I never liked the hot humid heat waves in Connecticut that would last two weeks, when I lived up north. I can't stand the months-long steambaths of Florida.

I know lots of folks (myself included) seriously considered Arizona over Florida as a retirement destination. Curious, do you think you’d had been better suited for Arizona (blazing hot but low humidity)? I know different people react differently to both dry and humid hot temps.

Absolutely. I wanted us to retire to New Mexico. Been there in late May, so I knew it could get hot and I knew what a hot New Mexico week felt like. It was 105° when our plane landed there, and stayed at 98 or higher the whole week. I was in absolute heaven. Even went horseback riding. Loved it loved it loved it. Of course everyone I was with, was less than happy. I drank a lot of water. Kept my neck covered (sunburn in NM is not for wimps). It wasn't an option though, we needed to be on the east coast. I could've picked South Carolina but it would've either been a family compound away from civilization, or a lot of land, little house, a block from the nearest neighbor, and not in walking distance to anything at all. The other option was The Villages. So - here we are.

Also consider your feet. I suggest bring sandals and lightweight sneakers. Also, if you plan on being out in the sun for a time, consider bringing sun screen.

Keep in mind that there is a prediction of an electrical Katrina failure, when somehow the grid goes down for several days, and people who are used to living in air conditioning start dying from heat. AZ would be more difficult to survive than FL at the different temperatures. . .

I was in Petrified Forest National park in 1987 and the temp was between 110 and 120. . That was too hot to go outside. . Not a place I want to live. I would probably get in the car/truck/rv and drive NORTH

I would not consider sun screen but would consider it essential if you are going to be outside. Hat is an essential piece of your wardrobe

MOHS surgery is not fun

And, if you want to get fancy, golf shirts and shorts...

I’m interested in this as well. Still in Northern Utah 90% of the year. Yes it’s damn cold in the winter but I can let my dogs run and play anywhere without fear of gators 🤷🏻*♀️ It never really gets humid here so I don’t know how to acclimate myself let alone the labs. My husband says zero chance he’s moving there full time because of the humidity. We’re the snowflakes you should love because we’re hardly ever there to take your precious tee times or restaurant seats ❤️ but still pay the same and don’t rent our house out

Thats easy - ZERO COTTON. You want polyester and Polyester/Rayon blend shirts. Shorts who cares, but no cotton in your shirts. They breath and your sweat wicks away... love them.
Ed

The weather people do the same thing with cold they do with heat - with heat it is the "heat index" with cold it is the "wind chill" all a bunch of hooey but gets people to tune in.
Ed

We lived in retirement communities in Phoenix and Tucson areas in Arizona for many years and in Florida for many years. Enjoyed all. I played golf regularly at 105 degrees in Az and occasionally at 110, but limit it to 95 in Fl. Az heat is more insidious than Fl due to not recognizing dehydration that result every year in deaths of several canyon hikers. My allergies were worse in Az, and wife's are worse in Fl, but are kept in check with medications. Florida is preferred by us due to liking greenery better than desert and the Villages lifestyle is a deal maker. Pick your poison.

So we are mainly here in the summer at this point. I don't get why people have an issue. No, you don't want to trim the bushes at 1 PM, but LOVE the heat when hanging out at the pool or even playing golf. Beats the heck out of the endless Wisconsin winters. April 30 next year I become a full time resident and I can't wait. Also, before 9 AM and After about 5 it is LOVELY. Temps are 70s and low 80s and there is almost always a breeze. This is NOT Miami.

On the contrary, it IS cotton that breathes, polyester does not. It retains heat. 100% cotton is the way to go unless someone perspires a lot, then they may not like their damp/wet clothes if outside a long time.
6 cool materials to wear in the summer

From Link: Is polyester breathable?

No. Polyester is made from plastic fibers. On the upside, it wicks moisture and dries quickly, but it tends to retain bad odors. The breathability varies depending on yarn size and whether it is a knit or weave, but in general, polyester should be avoided in hot weather.

I grew up in NM and have spent a good portion of my adult life there as well. I have a business in Albuquerque and so must spend time there. The scenery is incredible. It has four easy seasons, all nice except for the winds in the spring. The crime is off the charts high. Child welfare is the very worst of any state in the country. Schools and medical care rank among the worst in the country. NM is a terribly run poverty stricken state and a mess. I am very happy I no longer must live there.

I believe you but, I'm guessing you would agree that NM is a fabulous place to vacation....especially for an East Coaster. Because it's so topographically and culturally different.

I would like to share with you a wonderful trip I took there around 2016 with a friend. Into ABQ, for a couple days - friendly people! Took the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe, then onto to Pagosa Springs and Durango with a half day stop at Ghost Ranch along the way. Then down to Farmington where we watched some girls do bull riding in competition. They don't do that in the East!

The drive from SF to Durango takes about 4 hours and I can still picture the scenery from it. Stunning! At dusk, I kept looking left at the sunset and finally had to pull over and just watch it. Said to my friend, "like most people, I've seen every shade of yellow, orange, pink, even red in sunsets but, never have I seen purple!" It wasn't lavender either but, purple amongst the other hues. Epic. The natural lighting in that state is something to behold, I loved it and totally understand why Georgia O'Keefe moved there long ago.

The trip I described was an easy one week adventure and I have fond memories of it.

NM skies are amazing. Driving back to ABQ from SF 20 or so years ago I observed the most spectacular sunset I have ever seen anywhere.

There is a Georgia O'Keefe museum in Santa Fe well worth visiting.

Enjoy the scenery and food in "The land of enchantment" but be mindful of the crime and stay safe!

I am flying over there next week for a 10 day stay and hope to enjoy the scenery and chile. Yet I will look over my shoulder on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. when I fill up my SUV with gas in a nice area of the NE heights to make sure I do not get carjacked.

As stated in hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, the most valuable possession in the universe is a towel. When you get too hot just jump into any of 200 public pools.

I don't like temps under 60F anymore but mowing the lawn in August still sucks.

G String

Above 35 light jacket. 30 and below mid weight jacket, microfiber hat & gloves(heated seats and wheel)to walk, once in the car jacket, gloves hat off.

Cold doesn’t bother me at all until the minus hits then I break out the lightweight ski jacket.

Heat is my enemy, maybe once birthday into the 70s I will start to chill as many who age.

Ah, yes. Indeed.
Just in case you are invited to a formal occasion.

People love what experience has taught them to love. We met a woman on a cruise ship not long back who was desperately homesick.

Her home? Northwestern Siberia.

I have lived in the SE off and on much of my life and have never really acclimated to the heat. Just like I never really acclimated to the cold winters of some of the northern areas I have lived. Hot is hot and cold is cold. But there are subtle differences. I spent three years in Laredo, Texas and there were nights that the temps were still in the 90's at midnight when my shift ended. I went to Phoenix one early Summer and it was 104 degrees. A dry heat? I couldn't tell. Spent a week in Chicago during a cold snap and I think I never thawed out. Was supposed to visit International Falls, MN during a frigid winter and thankfully the meeting got delayed several months. You generally know what to expect wherever you are.