Key West Weather

Key West, the southernmost city in the USA, lies 207km south of Miami and 170km north of Havana, Cuba. The island experiences a mild tropical climate and sits in the Straits of Florida, the dividing line between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, known for its warm calm waters. Key West has two distinct seasons, with the wet season running from May to October, and the dry season from November to April.

 

The best time for a Key West holiday is during the winter time, when the weather is dry and there is plenty of sunshine. November sees the start of the tourist season, with highs of 27C and 8 hours of sunshine, and December sees a slight drop to 24C, which continues into February. The island sees 9 hours of sunshine during this time, and comfortable levels of humidity. January to March sees sea temperatures of 24C, great for swimming, water sports and boat trips, and night-time temperatures drop to 17C during the winter months, with limited rainfall, around 40mm - 50mm each month. April sees the start of the changing seasons, with an increase in temperature and humidity.     

 

May sees the beginning of the wet season which brings more rain - around 100mm during the month, rising to 140mm in June, with the summer season seeing over half the total year's rainfall, with showers every day. Key West differs from the mainland in that the rain usually occurs in the early morning and not the afternoon. September is the wettest month in Key West, receiving 166mm of rain. The weather gets much hotter during the wet season, with Key West seeing highs of up to 32C in the height of the summer, and humidity peaking from July to September. There are still 10 hours of sunshine each day however, and night-time temperatures hover around 26C.