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Do not fill this in! == Geography == {{wide image|Palm Beach proper Florida photo by Don Ramey Logan.jpg|1000px|alt=Palm Beach|An aerial view of Palm Beach, looking northeast from downtown [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]] in November 2014}} Palm Beach is one of the easternmost towns in Florida, though the state's easternmost point is in [[Palm Beach Shores, Florida|Palm Beach Shores]], just north of [[Lake Worth Inlet]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49665554/the-palm-beach-post/|title=Question: Why do you like Singer Island? |first=Dermot |last=O'Brien |date=June 1, 2014|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|page=R10|access-date=April 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The town is on an {{convert|18|mi|adj=on}} long [[barrier island]] between the [[Intracoastal Waterway]] (locally known as the [[Lake Worth Lagoon]]) on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. At no point is the island wider than three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km), and in places it is only 500 feet (150 m) wide.<ref>{{cite book|title=Florida. A Guide to the Southernmost State|date=1939 |author=Federal Writers' Project |publisher=Oxford University Press|page=227}}</ref> The northern boundary of Palm Beach is the Lake Worth Inlet, though it adjoined with [[Singer Island]] until the permanent dredging of the inlet in 1918.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palmbeachshoresfl.us/about_us/town_history/index.php|title=Town History Past and Present|publisher=Town of Palm Beach Shores|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> To the south, a section of [[Lake Worth Beach, Florida|Lake Worth Beach]] occupies the island in the vicinity of [[Florida State Road 802|State Road 802]], though an exclave of Palm Beach extends farther southward until the northern limits of [[South Palm Beach, Florida|South Palm Beach]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bdb.org/clientuploads/Allie/Municipalities36x60-1.pdf|title=Municipalities of Palm Beach County, Florida|publisher=Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building Department|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has an area of {{convert|8.12|mi2|km2|abbr=on}}, with land accounting for {{convert|4.20|mi2|km2|abbr=on}} and water covering the remaining {{convert|3.92|mi2|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url= https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 7, 2017}}</ref> The average elevation of the town is {{convert|7|ft|m|abbr=on}};<ref name="gnis"/> the highest point is {{convert|30|ft|m|abbr=on}} above sea level on the golf course at the Palm Beach Country Club.<ref name="CP"/>{{rp|IX-4}} Geologically, the island is a sand-covered ridge of [[coquina rock]].<ref name="CP"/>{{rp|I-7}} Before settlement, the island was a pronounced coastal ridge bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The Intracoastal Waterway coast was primarily low-lying and swampy; marshy sloughs generally lay between the two features,<ref name="CP"/>{{rp|IX-4}} though an [[Oolite|oolitic limestone]] ridge stood along some parts of the island's westward side. Since 1883, the environment has been significantly altered by developing land, the filling of the sloughs, and a receding coastline due to erosion, but the Atlantic ridge is still the dominating topographical feature of the island and acts as a seaward barrier. The former slough areas are flood-prone.<ref name="CP"/>{{rp|I-8}} The town and entire barrier island are within Evacuation Zone B, and evacuations are often ordered if a hurricane is forecast to impact the area, most recently in anticipation of [[Hurricane Dorian]] in 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://cbs12.com/news/local/palm-beach-county-ordering-evacuations-and-opening-shelters|title=Palm Beach County orders mandatory evacuations for Zones A and B|date=September 1, 2019|newspaper=[[WPEC]]|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> Palm Beach town officials may deploy law enforcement officers to strategically place roadblocks to limit access to the island during unsafe conditions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.townofpalmbeach.com/582/Evacuation-and-Re-Entry|title=Evacuation and Re-Entry|publisher=Town of Palm Beach|access-date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> As of 2016, land use of the town is 60% residential, 13% [[Right of way|rights-of-way]], 10% private group uses, 3% recreational, 3% commercial, 2% public uses, 1% hotels (not including The Breakers), and less than 1% conservation, while The Breakers is a [[planned unit development]] accounting for 6% of land use. The remaining 2% of land was vacant.<ref name="CP">{{cite report|url= http://www.tcrpc.org/council_meetings/2017/May2017/Palm_Beach_EAR_Amendments.pdf|title=Town of Palm Beach Comprehensive Plan|date=March 30, 2017|publisher=Town of Palm Beach Planning, Zoning, and Building Department|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806035525/http://tcrpc.org/council_meetings/2017/May2017/Palm_Beach_EAR_Amendments.pdf|archive-date=August 6, 2020}}</ref>{{rp|I-9}} Palm Beach does not have any land dedicated to agricultural or industrial purposes. The town is essentially built out and cannot extend its boundaries.<ref name="CP"/>{{rp|I-11}} Conservation is mainly confined to Bingham Island, Fishermen's Island, and Hunter's Island. Functioning as bird sanctuaries and [[Rookery|rookeries]], the islands are leased by the [[National Audubon Society]], though state trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund and the Blossom Estate hold the titles to the islands. A part of Blossom Estate Subdivision just south of [[Florida State Road 80|Southern Boulevard]] is also designated a conservation area.<ref name="CP"/>{{rp|I-11}} === Climate === According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Palm Beach has a [[tropical rainforest climate]] (''Af'') with hot, humid summers and warm, drier winters. The annual average precipitation is {{convert|62.3|in|mm|abbr=on}}, most of which occurs from May through October.<ref name="weatherbase.com">{{cite web | url= http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=30227&cityname=West+Palm+Beach%2C+Florida%2C+United+States+of+America&units= |title=West Palm Beach, Florida | publisher=Weatherbase |access-date=May 4, 2014}}</ref> In the wet summer season, short-lived heavy afternoon thunderstorms are common.<ref name="summer duration">{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/mfl/summer_season|title=Duration of Summer Season in South Florida|publisher=National Weather Service Miami, Florida|access-date=May 8, 2020}}</ref> Palm Beach reports more than 2,900 hours of sunshine annually. Although tropical cyclones can impact Palm Beach, strikes are rare, with the last direct hit in [[1928 Okeechobee hurricane|1928]].<ref name="weatherbase.com"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-ahurricane14sep14-story.html|title=Florida's forgotten storm: The Hurricane of 1928 |first=Nicole Sterghos |last=Brochu |date=September 14, 2003|newspaper=Sun-Sentinel|access-date=September 3, 2018}}</ref> The wet season is from May to October, when convective thunderstorms and downpours are common.<ref name="summer duration"/> Average high temperatures in Palm Beach are {{convert|83|to|91|F|C|abbr=on}} with lows of {{convert|68|to|76|F|C|abbr=on}},<ref name="dailynormals"/> though low temperatures at or above {{convert|80|F|C|abbr=on}} are not uncommon.<ref name="dailyrecords"/> During this period, more than half of the summer days bring occasional afternoon thunderstorms and seabreezes that somewhat cool the rest of the day. The dry season (winter) brings dryer, sunny, and much less humid weather.<ref name="summer duration"/> Between December and March, average high temperatures range from {{convert|74|to|82|F|C|abbr=on}} and low temperatures average between {{convert|57|and|68|F|C|abbr=on}}.<ref name="dailynormals"/> High temperatures occasionally drop below {{convert|70|F|C|abbr=on}}, while at other times highs occasionally reach {{convert|90|F|C|abbr=on}} in mid-winter. The highest recorded temperature, {{convert|101|F|C|abbr=on}}, occurred on July 21, 1941, while the lowest observed temperature, {{convert|24|F|C|abbr=on}}, occurred on December 29, 1894,<ref name="dailyrecords"/> during the [[Great Freeze]]. In some years, the dry season can become quite dry, and water restrictions are imposed.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20200410/driest-march-triggers-conservation-order-limits-on-watering-landscapes|title=Driest March triggers conservation order: Limits on watering landscapes |first=Kimberly |last=Miller |date=April 10, 2020|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|access-date=May 8, 2020}}</ref> {{weather box |width = auto |single line= = yes |location = Palm Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach, Florida) |Jan record high F=89 |Feb record high F=90 |Mar record high F=95 |Apr record high F=99 |May record high F=99 |Jun record high F=100 |Jul record high F=101 |Aug record high F=97 |Sep record high F=97 |Oct record high F=95 |Nov record high F=92 |Dec record high F=90 <!-- Average high temperatures --> |Jan high F=75 |Feb high F=77 |Mar high F=79 |Apr high F=82 |May high F=86 |Jun high F=88 |Jul high F=90 |Aug high F=90 |Sep high F=88 |Oct high F=85 |Nov high F=80 |Dec high F=76 <!-- Average low temperatures --> |Jan low F=57 |Feb low F=59 |Mar low F=62 |Apr low F=66 |May low F=71 |Jun low F=74 |Jul low F=76 |Aug low F=76 |Sep low F=75 |Oct low F=72 |Nov low F=66 |Dec low F=60 <!-- Record low temperatures --> |Jan record low F=26 |Feb record low F=27 |Mar record low F=26 |Apr record low F=38 |May record low F=45 |Jun record low F=60 |Jul record low F=64 |Aug record low F=65 |Sep record low F=61 |Oct record low F=46 |Nov record low F=36 |Dec record low F=24 <!-- Average precipitation --> |precipitation colour=green |Jan precipitation inch=3.13 |Feb precipitation inch=2.82 |Mar precipitation inch=3.66 |Apr precipitation inch=4.59 |May precipitation inch=4.51 |Jun precipitation inch=8.30 |Jul precipitation inch=5.76 |Aug precipitation inch=7.95 |Sep precipitation inch=8.35 |Oct precipitation inch=5.13 |Nov precipitation inch=4.75 |Dec precipitation inch=3.38 | source = National Weather Service<ref name="dailynormals">{{cite web|url= https://www.weather.gov/media/mfl/climate/West%20Palm%20Beach%20Daily%20Normals%20(1981-2010).pdf|title=West Palm Beach|publisher=National Weather Service Miami, Florida|access-date=December 23, 2019}}</ref><ref name="dailyrecords">{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/media/mfl/climate/Daily_Records_West_Palm_Beach.pdf|title=Climatological Records for West Palm Beach, FL Highlights 1888–2019 Daily Extremes|publisher=National Weather Service Miami, Florida|access-date=December 23, 2019}}</ref> }} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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