Humidity in Orlando, Florida Today

Orlando sits in the center of the Florida peninsula, far enough from the coast that it misses the moderating ocean breeze of Miami or Tampa — but close enough to both the Atlantic and the Gulf that moisture flows in from every direction. The result is a humid subtropical climate that runs wetter and more uncomfortable than the coastal cities during the peak of summer, because the inland location allows temperatures to climb higher without an onshore wind to cool things down. Dew points in the 70s°F are routine from June through September, and combined with inland temperatures that routinely hit the mid-90s, the heat index frequently crosses 105°F.

Orlando's humidity follows a clockwork daily rhythm driven by the sea-breeze convergence over the central peninsula. Morning starts humid and often hazy, the sun heats the interior faster than the coasts, converging sea breezes from both sides collide over the Orlando area by mid-afternoon, and they fire off a round of thunderstorms that dump tropical rain and then clear to a steamy evening. The whole cycle resets overnight and repeats the next day, like a machine — which is why Orlando summer forecasts are famously predictable: hot, humid, chance of afternoon storms.

For the millions of visitors who come for the theme parks, Orlando's humidity is the variable that changes everything. A 92°F day with a 73°F dew point produces a heat index of 105°F, and standing on asphalt in a queue line can add another 10 degrees. The difference between a comfortable park day and a miserable one often comes down to dew point, not temperature — and the dew point is almost always high from late May through early October. The drier months from November through March are a different world entirely, with dew points in the 50s and low 60s°F that make the same park feel like a different city.