Florida is known as The Sunshine State, but that sweeping term is broken down into six general coastal regions and two dominant climates.
The majority of the state, North and Central Florida, is considered subtropical, while the southern region is tropical. But how are these two climates different?
And where do we draw the line between Central and South Florida regions? Here’s a quick breakdown on what part of Florida is considered tropical and which counties are considered to be a part of South Florida.
How is Florida divided up? A guide to Florida regions
According to the U.S. Department of Interior’s Geological Survey (USGS), Florida and its coasts are split into six geographic regions.
“The FCMaP approach divides Florida into six regions that are geologically and physiographically distinct in terms of coastal characteristic (e.g. dominant type of shoreline, width of continental shelf, composition and structure of seabed), have variable stakeholder-driven needs, and will develop separate prioritization strategies,” the USGS said.
If you don’t know, FCMaP stands for the Florida Coastal Mapping Program, an initiative between federal and state agencies that aims to coordinate and facilitate the collection and accessibility of Florida coastal seafloor data.
Although this regional breakup primarily relies on the coastal waters around Florida, it can also serve as a litmus test for the regions of Florida itself.
Here are the six coastal regions that Florida is divided into, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (northwest to northeast):
What part of Florida is the tropics?
According to Florida Smart, the Sunshine State has two dominant climates: Humid Subtropical in North and Central Florida and Tropical Savanna in South Florida and the Florida Keys.
“In North and Central Florida, it is a Humid Subtropical climate with mild winters and long, hot, rainy summers,” Florida Smart said.
“In South Florida and the Keys, it is more of a Tropical Savanna with warm weather year-round and distinct wet and dry seasons.”
This is consistent with data from the Florida Climate Center, which is housed by Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee.
“Most of the State lies within the extreme southern portion of the Northern Hemisphere’s Humid Subtropical climate zone, noted for its long, hot and humid summers and mild and wet winters,” The Florida Climate Center said.
“The southernmost portion of the State is generally designated as belonging to the Tropical Savanna region, a climate that it shares with most of the Caribbean islands. Sometimes also called the wet and dry tropics, Tropical Savanna precipitation is highly concentrated in the warmer months.”
Where does South Florida start and end? What counties are in South Florida?
As mentioned above for other Florida regions, there is no official line that divides South Florida from the rest of the state.
The Treasure Coast — which includes Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County — is considered by many to mark the beginning of South Florida. Others consider Palm Beach County to be the start of South Florida on the East Coast.
For example, Florida Smart includes Treasure Coast counties in its list of Central Florida counties.
According to Florida Smart, South Florida counties include:
East Coast:
West Coast:
The Florida Keys are the southernmost point of Florida, and are widely considered their own region, separate from the southern portion of Florida’s peninsula.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: What part of Florida is the tropics? What to know about North, Central, South Florida climates
Reporting by Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
