Climate and Storm History of Pinecrest, Florida

The village of Pinecrest, Florida experiences what is termed a subtropical monsoon climate by the Köppen climate classification.  With this climate, it is similar to that of Miami and most of the surrounding South Florida metropolitan area.  This means that summers are hot and humid, with high temperatures averaging between 88 degrees and 92 degrees Fahrenheit.  The all time high temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded on July, 21 1942.  Low temperatures in the summer on average fall between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  In general, low temperatures in Pinecrest at all times of year are about 5–15 degrees cooler than coastal Miami, mainly because of its inland and rural location.

Meanwhile, winters in Pinecrest are mild, but on average are slightly cooler than nearby cities adjacent to the Atlantic coast.  In winter, the area experiences cold fronts that bring cooler weather patterns for short periods during the months from November to March.  In the farm areas lying west of downtown Pinecrest, frosts and freezes may occur 5–10 times per year.  High temperatures in the winter months average between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and lows typically fall in the range of 47 and 57 degrees.  The lowest temperature ever recorded in the Pinecrest area is 26 degrees Fahrenheit, which was recorded on December 13, 1934.  This was actually recorded at Homestead Air Force Base, some 10 miles east of Homestead, Florida.

Summer is the season in Pinecrest when most of the year’s average rain falls.  The village has a wet season that typically lasts from mid-May to early October.  However, the dry season sees little if any rain, and most of it comes with the passing of cold fronts.  Snowfall is extremely rare in the Pinecrest area, and has only been recorded once.  At Homestead Air Force Base, on January 20, 1977, the farthest south that snowfall has ever been reported in the lower 48 United States was recorded.

Hurricanes do pose a slight threat to the Pinecrest area, though not as much as Miami and the coastal regions.  While not located on the immediate coast, Pinecrest has been affected by hurricanes before.  The only recent strong storm was Hurricane Andrew, in August 1992, which devastated much of southern Florida.  In many areas, it took 5 to 10 years to fully recover.  Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma also brushed by in 2005, but did not pass directly over Pinecrest.