Archbold Biological Station
P.O. Box 2057 blkball.gif (842 bytes) Lake Placid, Florida 33862 USA
Phone: 863-465-2571 blkball.gif (842 bytes) FAX: 863-699-1927 blkball.gif (842 bytes) send e-mail

THE STATION'S CLIMATE:
Wet summers, dry winters

The climate at Archbold Biological Station is characterized by hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters. Average annual rainfall (1932-2003, 71 years) is 53.18 inches (1,350.8 mm) with more than 60 percent falling during the four wettest months, June to September. Brief afternoon thundershowers may occur almost every day in summer. Maximum rainfall amounts for one day are 7.10 inches (180.3 mm) on 6 June 1953, 7.00 (177.8 mm) on a day in September 1933, and 5.51 (139.9 mm) on 28 June 1957. The lowest annual rainfall was 27.31 in 2000 or 51.4% of the 71-year average.

Mean annual temperature (1952-2003, 51 years) is 72.1 degrees Fahrenheit (22.3 degrees Celsius). Average maximum and minimum summer temperatures, from June to September, are 92.4 degrees F (33.6 degrees C) and 68.6 degrees F (20.3 C), respectively. The maximum daily temperature is 103 degrees F (39.4 C) during a day in May 1953 and on 3 and 4 July 1998.

Winters are moderate, with infrequent cold spells dropping below freezing only briefly in early morning. The lowest recorded temperature at the Station is 13 degrees Fahrenheit (-10.6 degrees Celsius) on 12 January 1982 and 5 January 2001. Snow was observed for the first time in the history of the Station on 19 January 1977.

A history of climatological observations at Archbold Biological Station was published in the Biennial Report for 1995-1996.

Nancy Deyrup reading the rain gauge at the main grounds weather station, December 2001. Digital photo by Mark Deyrup.
weather2.jpg (110 bytes)

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blkball.gif (842 bytes) Lohrer, F.E. (Editor). 1992. Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida, Sixth Edition. Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid. 28 pp.
© Archbold Biological Station, 1992, 1998  October; revised annually, most recent 26 January 2003.
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