Climate in Pensacola
| Climate
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Aug
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Sep
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Oct
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Nov
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Dec
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| Daily highs (°F)
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61 |
64 |
70 |
76 |
83 |
89 |
91 |
90 |
87 |
80 |
70 |
63
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| Nightly lows (°F)
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42 |
45 |
52 |
57 |
66 |
72 |
74 |
74 |
71 |
60 |
51 |
45
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| Precipitation (in)
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5.3 |
4.7 |
6.4 |
3.9 |
4.4 |
6.4 |
8.0 |
6.9 |
5.8 |
4.1 |
4.5 |
4.0
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Check Pensacola's 7 day forecast at
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Often described as having three-and-a-half seasons, Pensacola has a subtropical climate with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Typical summer conditions have highs in the low 90s °F (32-34 °C) and lows in the mid 70s (23-24 °C). Afternoon or evening thunderstorms are common during the summer months. Due partly to the coastal location, temperatures above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are rare, and last occurred in June 2011, when two of the first four days of the month recorded highs of over 100 °F.
In winter, expect brisk, cool, dry days. The average high in January is 61.2 °F (16.2 °C), and the low is 42.8 °F (6.0 °C), though freezing temperatures occur on an average fifteen nights per season. If you come from a northern climate, you can survive a Pensacola winter with nothing more than a sweater or light jacket. Pensacolians, on the other hand, drag out the parkas when it hits fifty degrees.
Spring and fall are both mild times to visit. The temperatures tend to stay around sixty to eighty degrees, there's less risk of tropical storms, there's less humidity, and the thunderstorms are less powerful. It's a good time to sunbathe too, when the sun is bright but mild.
No matter what time of year you visit, you should bring an umbrella. Pensacola is one of the rainiest places east of the Mississippi, and there is no dry season or wet season: rain can hit at any time of the year. The city receives 64.28 inches (1,630 mm) of precipitation per year, with a rainy season in the summer. The rainiest month is July, with 8.02 inches (204 mm), with April being the driest month at 3.89 inches (99 mm). Spring and summer have 'popcorn showers,' a peppy euphemism for thunderstorms that seem to exist solely to soak you unexpectedly, then disappear, leaving you to enjoy the sunshine again. Always, when visiting Pensacola, have some plans for indoor activities, in case your outdoor plans get rained out. There are many popular indoor activities that will keep you entertained.
June to November is known as hurricane season. Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms with high wind speeds, rain, and coastal flooding. They also make it really difficult to get a good tan. While Pensacola is vulnerable to hurricanes, they don't hit every year, and most of them are pretty weak. After nearly 70 years without a direct hit, Pensacola, Florida was hit directly by Hurricane Erin (catagory 2) in August 1995 and major Hurricane Ivan (catagory 3) in September 2004. Hurricane Dennis brushed the area in July 2005 causing moderate damage. Visitors will usually have plenty of notice if they keep up with the media.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Pensacola
