Miami’s weather is always changing, how can we keep up? – PantherNU

Linette Garcia | Staff writer

The weather forecast promised a chilly day, but when I stepped outside I was hit with warm and humid air – the exact opposite of the weather I had expected this holiday season.

Instead of cooler weather for the holidays, we have blistering heat and, if we’re lucky, a bit of cool wind here and there.

Many of us who grew up in Miami know that we don’t experience “normal” seasonal changes here.

While states up north are indulging in hot drinks and overspending on the trendiest coats, we’re ordering iced copies of hot drinks and looking for lightweight sweaters.

Don’t get me wrong, I love going out to a market or mall wearing a breathable tank top with loose fitting jeans. But I would also love to strut in nice boots and an oversized hoodie without feeling the sweat rising all over my body.

It has been unbearably hot all this year, and I fear it will be more extreme in years to come.

For the past few months, Florida has been involved heavy rains, destructive storms and scorching high temperatures.

The reality is that we are witnessing a region that will be flooded with abnormally warm water caused by climate change and our state government doesn’t seem to care.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to stop and remove all climate change references from Florida politics. He too prohibited local governments from using heat protectants on their workers.

Florida is most vulnerable coastal state in America to massive disasters, how could he push back on the climate change claim when the evidence is as clear as day?

It’s amazing to me that despite the concern about rising seas tempting to swallow Miami, there are still people from out of state who consciously choose to live here.

I understand that most tourists or would-be residents trickle down here to sunbathe on the beach during the day and club with reggaeton music pulsing from giant speakers at night. Yet the health of our environment continues to deteriorate.

The feared future of climate change is already here, but we are normalizing its impact.

Hurricanes, floods and heat waves have become unpredictable and their severity is escalating.

Florida is not prepared for rising water levels and steamy days— our state government doesn’t even believe global warming is real.

There is not much we can do to alleviate Florida’s hot weather and high seas problems. However, there are small steps we can take help change the narrative such as raising awareness, reducing and recycling, saving energy and avoiding the overuse of clothing that adds to the growing waste bins.

I want to see Miami as a thriving and healthy place where we can rock any outfit without the consequences of a heat stroke. But as the state continues to heat up, the heat will only get worse.

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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW editorial team. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing authors and/or members of the university community.

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