The great British poet, T.S. Eliot, wrote that, “April is the cruelest month.” Actually, he spelled it “cruellest,” but that’s the British version of the language for you. Anyhow, April always gets lots of attention for some reason. Remember “April in Paris”? And then there’s April Fool’s Day. Shakespeare was born in April and so was Buddha. I also might point out that the last week in April is officially National Lingerie Week, for what it’s worth to you. But I’ve always felt April is a special month in South Florida too. Honestly, I think it’s often one of the very best months here for weather.
When you live in a sunny, year-round tropical climate, it’s tough to pinpoint any period as “best,” let alone just one month. Any time I raise the issue of “best weather month” with locals, I get an argument. “Really?” they reply, “well, yeah, April’s nice. But I kinda prefer …” And here you can fill in the blank with any of these months: January, February, March, November, December. I’ve heard residents say they like the hot summer months best. Ok, fair enough. We all have our personal tastes. But I’m making my case here for April. To me, April isn’t cruel. It’s inviting.
I usually find that April in Fort Lauderdale is a perfect blend. It’s not quite that cool bring-a-jacket kind of weather. But it’s not that hot wear-mostly-shorts kind of weather yet either. The humidity normally is low. So you still can comfortably put on spring clothes, things with long sleeves and heavier fabrics. I live with my windows open in April but never need to run the heat. (Yes, local residents do use heating systems in South Florida – maybe, like, two or three times a year. For about a half hour at a clip.) There isn’t much, if any, rain as a rule. All that ultra-pleasant weather can continue right on into early May, which should be promising for the big Air & Sea Show on May 5 and 6 this year. So yes, I continue to live in Fort Lauderdale because I love the climate throughout the year better than anywhere else in the country. But if pressed for a favorite month based purely on weather, I nominate April. Let the debate begin.
Posted By MH | 04/30/2007 4:21 PM