February Tempertures?

The avg temps from 1931 to 2004, for Defuniak Springs located 23 mi north of SoWal, show the avg low for Feb as 42.5F and the avg high as 66.5F

We see the snowbirds wearing shorts, but I freeze my booty off.

We're from the north and we were there the last week of Feb. last year. Kids wore bathing suits sometimes at the beach to build sand castles. Adults wore capris and sweaters. We were able to hang out on the porch during the daytime, cooler on the porch at night. Hot tub was great. But that was just for last year and I assume it can be pretty unpredictable in winter. (We've had very good luck so far in November, December, February).

January and February are pretty much the only months we can consider "winter" here. However, it is all relative. We do have days when it is in the 40's and windy, we have nights when it gets below freezing. Two years ago we had a few nights in the teens and everybody's pipes froze. HOWEVER, it is hit or miss--for three days it might be in the 40's followed by a week of 60's.

I grew up with real winters, but it is amazing how fast your body adjusts to a warmer climate. I can tell you that, although I still own a parka and wool sweaters, they haven't seen the light of day since we moved here 4 years ago.

Coming from Chicago, you should be fine. The Canadian snow birds love it here in the winter!

Thanks to all of you for the helpful info.

I can tell you that, although I still own a parka and wool sweaters, they haven't seen the light of day since we moved here 4 years ago.

This is what I was hoping to read. It is already starting to get nippy at night here in Denver, and the leaves are beginning to change color. I will bring my sweaters, but would be glad if they stay packed away.

This is what I was hoping to read. It is already starting to get nippy at night here in Denver, and the leaves are beginning to change color. I will bring my sweaters, but would be glad if they stay packed away.

It has been a nippy 70F at night down here at the beach for the last week or so. Burrh! j/k - Feels really nice.

Sounds like excellent bicycling weather. :clap_1:

Sounds like excellent bicycling weather. :clap_1:

Mermaid...I bet you'd trade places with anyone in SoWal in Feb.! My SIL lives in Ft. Wayne...brutal winters! Remember, I am from Texas!

For goodness' sake, I don't even NEED to give that a second thought. February in the Midwest is drab, drab, drab and usually covered with snow and ice!

Speaking of cold weather (well, relatively speaking, that is), we came down one Spring Break with our kids at the end of March. It was too brisk to swim in the water, but somehow the week just flew by anyway. We walked along the beach, cycled, poked our noses into all the cute boutiques and art galleries, ate out most nights, and had a grand ole time. I don't know why more people don't come down in the off-season. It's not crowded and the sunshine is so wonderful. Not to mention that all you need is a sweatshirt and you're ready to go. I'll take that any day over a ski parka. :clap_1:

I think more and more people from the midwest will find SoWal over the coming years. If people stay for a while (e.g., snowbirds), it's a relatively easy drive from the midwest to the Panhandle. And it's much less expensive than going farther south in Florida where the prices go way up in the winter. There are plenty of porch sitting/beach watching/hot tub soaking days in SoWal to keep people escaping the cooler weather busy all winter. (not to mention restaurants, etc.)

I grew up with real winters, but it is amazing how fast your body adjusts to a warmer climate. I can tell you that, although I still own a parka and wool sweaters, they haven't seen the light of day since we moved here 4 years ago.

I've actually got my heavy sweaters still in rotation. But then I work in the building where all the servers are, so the air temperature in my office is in the 60-62F range all year round.

The parka is for wearing to the pool in February.

We generally get what I think of as our two annual weeks of winter some time between Christmas Day and Valentine's Day. For a trip, I'd try to go with late February to minimize the chance of hitting the annual two week cold snap.

Feb is super great - all the fish come back close in - if you dive the jetties at destin at night you might even see an octopus! surf fishing in winter is nothing at all like the default summer rays and sharks you get all the goodies, especially mr snook!

Do we really get snook here in the winter? I didn't think they ever came this far north. Any tips?

Some far-ranging Snook are around from Feb-May and Oct-Dec (not the coldest or the hottest). You can get one off the PCB (bay county) fishing pier if you're lucky (a long time ago), or Destin waterfront where the wall part is if you don't get caught and yelled at (not so long ago), bridge pilings (if you don't get shot by harbor security) or you can take your rod for a Sunday Drive around to the St. Marks river and catch a couple of the many huge snook that slowly swim around and around up the river in the crystal clear freshwater. Kastmaster in silver with white tailfeather for freshwater and antique gold with orange/yellow for saltwater tied directly onto invisible-as-possible line. Remove the red plastic thingy if your lure has one, it's for summer only.