Freezing in Florida

So, it’s been a mere three days since I raved about the delightfully crisp weather we were experiencing here in Tallahassee. Well, already I’m beginning to sing a different tune. Not that things have turned horrible, but today marked the first day of my (thus far brief) Floridian life when I have officially been cold. That’s cold, as in uncomfortably cool.

It actually started in the night. Shockingly, we had to turn on the heat because we all felt too chilly. Eddie even woke up in the night asking for his blanket, which is an extremely rare request. As if that weren’t enough of a warning sign, I stupidly dressed in my normal shorts and a short-sleeve shirt combo, assuming it would be pleasant by the time I was out and about. But it wasn’t. It was extremely brisk, and every time the wind picked up while I was walking around campus, to and from the bus stop, etc., I had to brace myself and think warm thoughts. My fingers ached from cold if I didn’t keep them shoved into my pockets. As I waited for my 9 a.m. bus today, the temperature being flashed on a sign across the street was a mere 42 degrees Fahrenheit. I never would have guessed that Florida could be so nippy.

To be honest, I did some research, and I think this is slightly abnormal for Florida. At least for this early into the autumn/winter part of the year. The average high in October is supposed to be 81 degrees F with a low in the upper 50’s. Not too shabby. It’s only December through February when the lows are supposed to dawdle in the lower 40’s and the highs typically max out in the mid-60’s. But somehow I thought even those temperatures would be more tolerable than I now expect them to be. In Atlanta, there was a sign across from the philosophy department that flashed the time and temperature, and I always wondered if it could be accurate because no matter how low the displayed temperature got, it never felt as bad to me as the number would suggest. I guess I expected Tallahassee to be similar. Now I’m being faced with the cold, hard truth, and I’m really glad I brought some sweaters.