Tampa, Florida

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of the Tampa Bay area|Climate of the Tampa Bay area}}
[[File:TampaColor 20151103.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.15|Landsat 8 image of Tampa Bay Region]]

===Topography===
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{cvt|453.9|km2|order=flip}}, including {{cvt|293.7|km2|order=flip}} of land and {{cvt|160.1|km2|order=flip}} (35.3%) of water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The highest point in the city is only {{cvt|48|ft}} above sea level. Tampa is bordered by two bodies of water, [[Old Tampa Bay]] and [[Tampa Bay|Hillsborough Bay]], which flow together to form [[Tampa Bay]], which in turn flows into the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. The [[Hillsborough River (Florida)|Hillsborough River]] flows into Hillsborough Bay, passing directly in front of [[Downtown Tampa]] and supplying Tampa's main source of fresh water. The [[Palm River]] is a smaller river flowing from just east of the city into [[McKay Bay]], which is a smaller inlet, sited at the northeast end of Hillsborough Bay.<ref>[http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/restore/projects/palmriv.htm Palm River Restoration]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609203050/http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/restore/projects/palmriv.htm |date=June 9, 2007 }}</ref> Tampa's geography is marked by the Interbay Peninsula which divides Hillsborough Bay (the eastern) from Old Tampa Bay (the western).

=== Cityscape ===
{{Main|Cityscape of Tampa, Florida}}
{{Wide image|Tampa banner.jpg|1000px|Panorama of [[Downtown Tampa]] skyline from Red Bull Flugtag, July 19, 2008}}{{Wide image|Tampa Night Panoramic (39924337151).jpg|1000px|Panorama of [[Downtown Tampa]] at night as seen from across the [[Hillsborough River (Florida)|Hillsborough River]].}}

==== Neighborhoods ====
{{Main|Neighborhoods in Tampa, Florida}}

The city is divided into many neighborhoods, many of which were towns and unincorporated communities annexed by the growing city. Generally, the city is divided into the following areas: [[Downtown Tampa]], [[New Tampa]], [[West Tampa]], [[East Tampa]], [[North Tampa (neighborhood)|North Tampa]], and [[South Tampa]]. Well-known neighborhoods include [[Ybor City]], [[Forest Hills (Tampa)|Forest Hills]], [[Ballast Point (Tampa)|Ballast Point]], [[Sulphur Springs (Tampa)|Sulphur Springs]], [[Seminole Heights]], [[Tampa Heights]], [[Palma Ceia]], [[Hyde Park (Tampa)|Hyde Park]], [[Davis Islands (Tampa)|Davis Islands]], [[Harbour Island (Tampa)|Harbour Island]], [[Tampa Palms]], [[College Hill (Tampa)|College Hill]], [[Water Street (Tampa)|Water Street]], [[Channel District|Channelside]] and non-residential areas of [[Gary (Tampa)|Gary]] and the [[Westshore (Tampa)|Westshore Business District]].

==== Architecture ====
Tampa displays a wide variety of architectural designs and styles. Most of Tampa's high rises demonstrate [[post-modern architecture]]. The design for the renovated [[Tampa Museum of Art]] displays post-modern architecture, while the city hall and the [[Tampa Theatre]] belong to [[Art Deco]] architecture.

The Tampa mayor [[Pam Iorio]] made the redevelopment of [[Downtown Tampa|Tampa's downtown]], especially residential development, a priority.<ref>{{cite web |title=Floridian: Urban culture clash |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/10/Floridian/Urban_culture_clash.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523003715/http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/10/Floridian/Urban_culture_clash.shtml |archive-date=May 23, 2011 |access-date=April 17, 2011 |work=St Petersburg Times}}</ref> Several residential and mixed-development high-rises have been constructed. Another of Mayor Iorio's initiatives was the [[Tampa Riverwalk]], a mixed-use path along the Hillsborough River in downtown. Channelside was recently approved to undergo major renovations by [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] owner [[Jeff Vinik]] along with [[Bill Gates]] and other investors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thalji |first1=James |title=Channelside deal approved; now it's up to Jeff Vinik to make it work |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/channelside-settlement-approved-ending-legal-battle-for-tampa-mall/2189355 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721220151/http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/channelside-settlement-approved-ending-legal-battle-for-tampa-mall/2189355 |archive-date=July 21, 2014 |access-date=July 21, 2014 |work=[[Tampa Bay Times]]}}</ref> Several museums have already opened, including new homes for the [[Tampa Bay History Center]], the [[Glazer Children's Museum]], and the [[Tampa Museum of Art]].<ref>{{cite web |date=June 7, 2006 |title=Downtowns on the Verge |url=http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A52700 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423004825/http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A52700 |archive-date=April 23, 2009 |access-date=September 3, 2010 |publisher=[[Creative Loafing]]}}</ref> The breakdown of development for the rest of the plan is as follows: 39% residential units, 29% office space, 15% hotels, 8% retail, 7% other, and 2% cultural uses.<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Complete Guide to Water Street Tampa |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/04/27/overwhelmed-by-water-street-tampa-heres-your-guide.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814004856/https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/04/27/overwhelmed-by-water-street-tampa-heres-your-guide.html |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |access-date=November 1, 2018 |website=Tampa Bay Business Journal}}</ref> Mayor [[Bob Buckhorn]] continued these developments which are bearing fruit during the term of Mayor [[Jane Castor]].

Tampa is the site of several [[skyscraper]]s. Overall, there are 30&nbsp;completed buildings that rise over {{cvt|250|ft|m|0}} high. The city also has 147&nbsp;high-rises,<ref name="highrises">{{cite web |title=High-rise Buildings of Tampa |url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/?id=102589 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929155417/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/?id=102589 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |access-date=June 17, 2008 |publisher=Emporis.com}}</ref> second only to [[Miami]] in the state of Florida. The [[List of tallest buildings in Tampa|tallest building in the city]] is [[100 North Tampa]], formerly the AmSouth Building, which rises 42 [[storey|floors]] and {{cvt|579|ft|m|0}} in Downtown Tampa.<ref name="100NT emp">{{cite web |title=Regions Building |url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=amsouthbuilding-tampa-fl-usa |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929135935/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=amsouthbuilding-tampa-fl-usa |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |access-date=June 16, 2008 |publisher=Emporis.com}}</ref> The structure was completed in 1992, and is the tallest building in Florida outside of Miami and [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]].<ref name="100NT emp" />
<gallery>
File:RegionsTampa.jpg|[[100 North Tampa]] (1992)
File:Bank of America Plaza Tampa.jpg|[[Bank of America Plaza (Tampa)|Bank of America Plaza]] (1986)
File:Onetampacitycenter downtown.jpg|[[One Tampa City Center]] (1981)
File:Tampa architectural photos 268.jpg|[[SunTrust Financial Centre]] (1992)
File:ParkTowerTampa.jpg|[[Park Tower (Tampa)|Park Tower]] (1972)
File:RivergateTower.jpg|[[Rivergate Tower]] (1988)
File:Sunshine Skyway Bridge - Detail.jpg|The [[Sunshine Skyway Bridge]] (1987)
</gallery>

===== Landmarks =====
{{See also|List of tallest buildings in Tampa}}
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Tampatheater.jpg|[[Tampa Theatre]]
File:Tampa Bayshore Blvd skyline02.jpg|[[Downtown Tampa]] as seen from [[Bayshore Boulevard]]
File:Tampa architectural photos 256.jpg|Part of the [[Tampa Riverwalk]]
File:Glazer Children's Museum Tampa, FL 2.jpg|Fountains at [[Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park]]
File:Tampa FL Sulphur Springs Tower tall pano02.jpg|[[Sulphur Springs Water Tower]]
</gallery>

The [[Sulphur Springs Water Tower]], a landmark in the [[Sulphur Springs (Tampa)|Sulphur Springs]] section of the city, stands 214 feet tall and was built by Grover Poole in the late 1920s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McMorrow-Hernandez |first=Joshua |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DorBwAAQBAJ&q=sulphur+springs+water+tower+josiah+richardson&pg=PA84 |title=Tampa Bay Landmarks and Destinations |date=2015 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9781467113663 |language=en |access-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205235951/https://books.google.com/books?id=7DorBwAAQBAJ&q=sulphur+springs+water+tower+josiah+richardson&pg=PA84 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> This [[Florida land boom of the 1920s|boom period for Florida]] also saw the construction of an ornate [[movie palace]], the [[Tampa Theatre]], a [[List of Mediterranean Revival Style Buildings of Davis Islands|Mediterranean revival on Davis Islands]], and [[Bayshore Boulevard]], which borders Hillsborough Bay from [[downtown Tampa]] to areas in South Tampa. The road has a {{cvt|6|mi|km|adj=on|0}} continuous sidewalk on the eastern end, the longest in the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Film Florida |url=http://www.filmflorida.com/liaisons.cfm?officeid=13&vendorid=3209& |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111219042630/http://www.filmflorida.com/liaisons.cfm?officeid=13&vendorid=3209& |archive-date=December 19, 2011 |access-date=April 17, 2011 |publisher=Film Florida}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park |url=http://www.tampagov.net/dept_parks_and_recreation/park_search/parkdetail.asp?nbr=8 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218094528/http://www.tampagov.net/dept_parks_and_recreation/park_search/parkdetail.asp?nbr=8 |archivedate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>

The [[Ybor City]] District is home to several buildings on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and has been declared a [[Ybor City Historic District|National Historic Landmark]]. Notable structures include [[El Centro Español de Tampa]], [[Centro Asturiano de Tampa]] and other [[History of Ybor City|social clubs built in the early 1900s]]. Including L'Unione Italiana or the Italian Club, at 1731 East 7th Avenue in Ybor City. The Italian Club mission "is to preserve and honor the culture, traditions and heritage of the Italian Community and to maintain the historical facility as a functioning memorial to the working class immigrants."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Home |url=http://italian-club.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603075021/http://italian-club.org/ |archive-date=June 3, 2018 |access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref>
[[Babe Zaharias Golf Course]] in the [[Forest Hills (Tampa)|Forest Hills]] area of Tampa has been designated a Historical Landmark by the National Register of Historic Places. It was bought in 1949 by the famous [[Babe Didrikson Zaharias|"Babe" Didrikson Zaharias]], who had a residence nearby, and closed upon her death. In 1974, the city of Tampa opened the golf course to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Babe Zaharias Golf Course |url=http://www.babezahariasgc.com/content.php?link=course_history.php |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422075926/http://www.babezahariasgc.com/content.php?link=course_history.php |archivedate=April 22, 2009}}</ref>

''The Story of Tampa'', a public painting by Lynn Ash, is a {{cvt|4|x|8|ft|m|1|adj=on}} oil on masonite mural that weaves together many of the notable aspects of Tampa's unique character and identity. It was commissioned in 2003 by the city's Public Art Program and can be found in the lobby of the Tampa Municipal Office Building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''The Story of Tampa'' |url=http://www.tampagov.net/dept_public_art/files/Ash%20%20Story%20of%20Tampa.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070628211545/http://www.tampagov.net/dept_public_art/files/Ash%20%20Story%20of%20Tampa.pdf |archivedate=June 28, 2007}}</ref>

[[Park Tower (Tampa)|Park Tower]] (originally the First Financial Bank of Florida) is the first substantial skyscraper in downtown Tampa. Completed in 1973, it was the tallest skyscraper in Tampa until the completion of One Tampa City Center in 1981.<ref>{{cite web |author=Emporis GmbH |title=Park Tower |url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=128610 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929132122/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=128610 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |access-date=April 17, 2011 |publisher=Emporis.com}}</ref> The Rivergate building, a cylindrical structure known as the "Beer Can building", was featured in the movie [[The Punisher (2004 film)|''The Punisher'']].

Spanning the southern part of Tampa Bay is the massive steel-span [[Sunshine Skyway Bridge]].

Tampa is home to the [[Bro Bowl]], one of the last remaining [[skatepark]]s built during skateboarding's "Golden Era" in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bruffert |first1=Shannon |last2=Mattick |first2=Barbara E. |date=August 2013 |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Perry Harvey Sr. Park Skateboard Bowl |url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000811.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128131655/https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000811.pdf |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2021 |publisher=[[National Park Service]]}} Includes nine photos from 1980, 2007, c.1983, and 2013.</ref> It opened in 1979 and was constructed by Tampa Parks and Recreation in 1978.<ref>{{cite web |title=NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET |url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000811.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128131655/https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/13000811.pdf |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2021 |publisher=nps.gov}}</ref> It was the first public skatepark to be constructed in Florida and the third on the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Mark |date=March 19, 2020 |title=Discover the Oldest Skate Parks on the East Coast {{!}} WhiteSands Treatment |url=https://whitesandstreatment.com/2020/03/19/oldest-skate-parks-on-the-east-coast/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205234705/https://whitesandstreatment.com/2020/03/19/oldest-skate-parks-on-the-east-coast/ |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2021 |work=whitesandstreatment.com}}</ref>

Other Tampa landmarks include the [[Tampa Riverwalk]], which is a 2.6-mile-long (4.2&nbsp;km) open space and pedestrian trail development along the Hillsborough River, and [[Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park]].

===Climate===
The Tampa Bay area has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''), although due to its location on the Florida peninsula on Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it shows some characteristics of a tropical climate. Tampa's climate generally features hot and humid summers with frequent [[thunderstorm]]s and dry and mild winters. Average highs range from {{cvt|71|to|91|F|C|0}} year round, and lows {{cvt|53|to|77|F|C|0}}. The city of Tampa is split between two [[USDA]] climate zones. According to the 2012 [[USDA]] Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Tampa is listed as [[USDA]] zone 9b north of Kennedy Boulevard away from the bay and 10a near the shorelines and in the interbay peninsula south of Kennedy Boulevard. Zone 10a is about the northern limit of where [[coconut palm]]s and [[royal palm]]s can be grown, although some specimens do grow in northern Tampa. Recently, certain palm tree species in the area, along with the rest of the state, have been and continue to be severely affected by a plant disease called [[Texas phoenix palm decline]], which has caused a considerable amount of damage to various local palm tree landscapes and threatens the native palm tree species in the region.<ref>Harrison, Nigel A.; Elliot, Monica L. (June 2013) [2007]. Texas Phoenix Palm Decline (PDF) (Report). Plant Pathology Department, UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida.</ref>

===Tropical storms===
Though threatened by tropical systems almost every hurricane season (which runs from June 1 to November 30), Tampa seldom feels major effects from [[tropical storm]]s or [[hurricane]]s. No hurricane has made [[Landfall (meteorology)|landfall]] in the immediate Tampa Bay area since the category 4 [[1921 Tampa Bay hurricane]] made landfall near [[Tarpon Springs, Florida|Tarpon Springs]] and caused extensive damage throughout the region.<ref name="comingstorm" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/the-tampa-bay-area-has-been-lucky/1096585 |title=The Tampa Bay area has been lucky |date=May 21, 2010 |access-date=October 24, 2016 |website=Tampa Bay Times |last=McClure |first=Brian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025050824/http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/the-tampa-bay-area-has-been-lucky/1096585 |archive-date=October 25, 2016}}</ref>

Over the past few decades, four major hurricanes were forecast to hit the Tampa Bay area from the south-southwest, which is a worse-case track that would result in a maximum [[storm surge]] event: [[Hurricane Donna]] (1960), [[Hurricane Charley]] (2004), [[Hurricane Irma]] (2017), and [[Hurricane Ian]] (2022).<ref name="pineapple1998">{{cite book |last=Henry |first=James |title=The Climate and Weather of Florida |publisher=Pineapple Press (FL) |location=Sarasota, Florida |year=1998 |isbn=978-1-56164-036-2}}</ref><ref name="Ian2022">{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Kirby |title=Hurricane Ian was supposed to slam Tampa Bay head on. What happened? |url=https://www.tampabay.com/hurricane/2022/09/28/hurricaneian/ |access-date=September 29, 2022 |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=September 28, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> However, all of these storms veered to the east or northeast before reaching Tampa Bay and instead made landfall down the coast, resulting in serious damage in [[southwest Florida]]. Irma had the greatest effect on Tampa. It made landfall near [[Marco Island]] on September 10, 2017, and moved due north, passing through eastern Hillsborough County as a Category 1 storm and causing widespread issues in the area, particularly disrupting the [[electrical grid]] for several days.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/power-update-19-million-customers-in-florida-still-powerless-five-days/2337576 |title=19 Million Customers in Florida Still Powerless |last=Sampson |first=Zachary |date=September 15, 2017 |work=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=September 16, 2017 |archive-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917025542/http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/power-update-19-million-customers-in-florida-still-powerless-five-days/2337576 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Because of tremendous population growth and coastal development in the century since the last hurricane landfall combined with rising sea levels due to [[climate change]], the Tampa Bay Area is considered one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to a direct hit from a major storm.<ref name="comingstorm">{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/health/environment/tampa-bay-climate-change/ |title=Tampa Bay's Coming Storm |last=Fears |first=Darryl |date=July 28, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 16, 2017 |archive-date=September 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911184601/https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/health/environment/tampa-bay-climate-change/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Seasonal trends===

====Summer====
Summertime weather patterns predominate from late May through early October, which is the region's rainy season.<ref name="rainyseason">{{cite news |last1=Fiallo |first1=Josh |title=Rainy season is coming, Tampa Bay. Here's the official start date |url=https://www.tampabay.com/weather/2021/05/14/rainy-season-is-coming-tampa-bay-heres-the-official-start-date/ |access-date=May 14, 2021 |work=Tampa Bay Times |issue=May 14, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=May 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514115152/https://www.tampabay.com/weather/2021/05/14/rainy-season-is-coming-tampa-bay-heres-the-official-start-date/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daily weather is very consistent during this period, with daytime highs usually reaching the average high of about {{cvt|91|°F|0}}, lows usually in the mid- to upper 70s °F (23–25&nbsp;°C), high [[humidity]], and a regular chance of rain, especially in the afternoon. Mainly due to the proximity of large bodies of water, the official high temperature has never hit {{cvt|100|°F|1}}&nbsp;– the all-time record high temperature is {{cvt|99|°F|0}}, first recorded on June 5, 1985, and tied on June 26, 2020.<ref name=NOAA>{{cite web |url=http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=tbw |title=NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |accessdate=April 11, 2016 |archive-date=September 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120917052629/http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=tbw |url-status=live }}</ref> Afternoon thunderstorms are regularly generated by the interaction of the [[Gulf of Mexico|Gulf]] and [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] [[sea breeze]]s and are such a regular occurrence during the summer that the Tampa Bay area and nearby inland areas of [[Central Florida]] are recognized as the "Lightning Capital of North America". Afternoon thundershowers occasionally intensify into a [[Severe thunderstorm watch|severe thunderstorm]], bringing heavy downpours, frequent lightning, strong straight-line winds, and sometimes hail.<ref name=TWC >{{cite web |url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USFL0481?from=search |title=Average Weather for Tampa, FL&nbsp;– Temperature and Precipitation |publisher=weather.com |access-date=February 23, 2008 |archive-date=March 9, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309093310/http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USFL0481?from=search |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Autumn====
Average temperatures gradually fall beginning in September, and average daily rainfall amounts also decrease as autumn progresses; November is usually Tampa's driest month. However, rain totals in the fall can be augmented by passing tropical systems, which can dump several inches of rain.

====Winter====
Winter in the area is generally dry and cooler. Average high temperatures range from the low to mid-70s&nbsp;°F (21–23&nbsp;°C) during the day to the low to mid-50s&nbsp;°F (11–13&nbsp;°C) at night. Occasional [[cold front]]s push through the area during the season, usually bringing a brief period of rain followed by daytime highs in the 50s&nbsp;°F (10–13&nbsp;°C) and nighttime lows near 40&nbsp;°F (5&nbsp;°C) for a day or two. Tampa experiences occasional frosts, with an annual mean minimum temperature of {{cvt|32.8|F}}

Since the Tampa area is home to a diverse range of freeze-sensitive agriculture and [[aquaculture]], hard freezes, although quite rare, are a major concern. Hard freezes (defined as a temperature of {{cvt|28|°F|1}} or below for several hours) occur rarely in the Tampa area; every five to twenty years depending on the exact location. The last widespread freeze occurred on the morning [[2017–18 North American cold wave|of January 18, 2018]], when the official temperature at Tampa International Airport dropped to {{cvt|29|°F|°C}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://w1.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KTPA.html |title=Tampa Bay Area National Weather Service Climate Page |date=February 1, 2012 |access-date=October 15, 2015 |website=Tampa Bay Area National Weather Service |last=Cole |first=Brian |archive-date=October 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020032631/http://w1.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KTPA.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=National Weather Service – Tampa Bay: Record lows. January 18, 2018 |url=http://www.weather.gov/images/tbw/climate/RecordLows_011818.png |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=January 19, 2018 |archive-date=January 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120070739/http://www.weather.gov/images/tbw/climate/RecordLows_011818.png |url-status=live }}</ref> The lowest temperature ever recorded in Tampa was {{cvt|18|°F|0}} on December 13, 1962.<ref name=TWC /> The only snowfall officially recorded in Tampa occurred on January 19, 1977, with local accumulations ranging between a trace and {{cvt|0.2|in|cm|1}}.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Putterman |first1=Samantha |title=The day it snowed in Tampa Bay, 40 years ago today |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/the-day-it-snowed-in-tampa-bay-40-years-ago-today/2310127 |access-date=September 1, 2018 |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=January 19, 2017 |archive-date=September 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901215707/https://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/the-day-it-snowed-in-tampa-bay-40-years-ago-today/2310127 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Spring====
Tampa sees a slow increase in average temperatures beginning in mid-February, and spring brings mostly warm and sunny weather to the area. While temperatures in late spring approach summertime values, the rainy season does not usually begin until June, leading to the threat of [[brush fire]]s from approximately late March until May. Occasionally, a late-season cold front pushes through the area, potentially bringing a brief round of severe weather followed by a few days of unseasonably cool temperatures.

====Monthly averages====
{{Tampa, FL weatherbox}}