By Alina Rezepova, Staff Writer
The Florida winter is described as something fictional and impossible: there is no frost or snow, and people are able to wear shorts and enjoy the sun. However, is this really the case, or just what students from freezing, snowy countries think?
Although winter in Florida is usually warm, occasional cold fronts bring sudden drops in temperature that catch many people off guard. How do students from different parts of the world really experience winter weeks in Florida?
For those students who came to study in Florida from cold countries, winter in Florida seems incredible because it often brings sunshine, warm temperatures, and green landscapes instead of freezing weather.
For someone used to winter temperatures dropping below –13 degrees Fahrenheit, a day that is 50 degrees Fahrenheit may feel surprisingly warm and comfortable, leading many to believe they can do without winter clothes if there is no snow.
According to The Weather Channel, Florida’s winters often experience significant temperature swings, with average lows sometimes dropping into the forties degrees Fahrenheit, making cold snaps feel surprisingly chilly for residents and international students.
“I have always thought that it is never cold in Florida and that there is only one season here, summer,” said Sezim Sharshenalieva from Kyrgyzstan, a sophomore majoring in marketing at Saint Leo University.
“For a person who does not like cold and subzero temperatures, winter in Florida is a good option,” continued Sharshenalieva.
People who are born and raised in countries where winter lasts from November to March automatically shiver at the word “winter.” To survive, they wear warm down jackets, scarves, hats, and knee-high boots.
“The winters here is not as cold as in my country, but the cold here has nothing to do with the snow,” stated Sharshenalieva. “When you live in a warm climate, you get so used to it that even a little coolness becomes noticeable.”
“When I was going to study in Florida for the first time, I did not even think about the fact that I might need warm clothes here, which I had to buy with the onset of the first cold weather,” added Sharshenalieva.
However, not all students can easily adjust to the Florida winter, especially those who come from warmer countries. Those who come from hotter countries, such as the Bahamas, Colombia, and others, relate to winter in Florida in a different way.
In hotter countries, the temperature does not drop below 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. For students from hotter countries, 65 degrees Fahrenheit is already quite cool weather, and they constantly wear a jacket to keep warm.
“Winter in Florida has been an intriguing experience for me. I was expecting something much colder, but it is quite comfortable,” said Juan Roa from Colombia, a senior majoring in marketing at Saint Leo.
“Even in the coldest months, it never gets as cold as it does here in Florida. In Bogotá, winter still feels temperate, while in Florida, the mornings and nights can feel genuinely cold to me,” stated Roa.
However, winter is not always associated with snow and in more tropical countries, winter is accompanied by constant showers and clouds despite the relatively warm temperatures outside.
According to Terra Colombia, in Colombia, winter begins in November and is determined by a large amount of precipitation. In some areas, it can rain for days without stopping, even though the air temperature remains at 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
“In Colombia, winter is mainly rainy, not cold. I am from Bogotá, and during winter, we get a lot of rain, cloudy days, and gray skies, but the temperature does not change much,” said Roa. “It stays relatively mild all year, so winter feels more wet than cold.”
Local students in Florida also perceive winter differently; even a brief cold snap feels unusual. For Floridians, winter weather is a reason to boast of a warm microclimate, but at the same time,they feel its real coolness compared to normal summer temperatures
“Throughout January and February, I try to always wear a jacket, or if I am driving somewhere, I turn the car heater up, especially in the evening when it starts to freeze,” said Yulissa Barrios from Florida, a junior majoring in marketing at Saint Leo.
“It has been pretty cold at night in Tampa for the last two weeks, and I have had to put on a jacket every day,” added Barrios.
It is interesting to observe how students from different cultures adapt to the same climate. For every person, Florida winter is a personal discovery that changes the usual idea of weather.
Winter in Florida is a kind of experiment for students, as some test their comfort limits while others learn to adapt. Mild, sunny, and sometimes unpredictable, it offers a unique experience and leaves vivid memories, reshaping the idea of winter for everyone.
