St. Augustine, Fl

SPRING-March, April and May – The average highs range from the 70’s into mid-80’s with low levels of precipitation.

SUMMER-June, July and August-The average highs in summer range from upper 80’s to low 90’s with high humidity levels. This is when you will experience more of the pop-up showers, especially in the afternoon. The sun usually doesn’t set until after 8pm so you will still have plenty of daylight to extend your activities into if they were interrupted by showers.

FALL-September, October and November -The wettest month is normally September with temps ranging from mid-high 80’s to mid 70’s for the lows. September is one of the best months to visit because the summer vacationers have gone home and things are a little quieter.

WINTER-December, January and February-This is the driest time of the year and the nicest for those looking to escape parts of the country covered in ice and snow. Skies are clear and the temperature often reaches into the high 60’s or low 70’s in the middle of the day. Night temps can fall into the lower 40’s so layering or a light jacket may be needed. This is an ideal time of the year for a heated pool and laying out to soak up the warm rays of the sun.

Other weather resources for St. Augustine:

Daily forecast for St. Augustine:

Daily forecast for St. Augustine Beach: http://www.weather.com/weather/today/l/USFL0701:1:US

Sunrises, Sunsets, and Moon rises: http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/st-augustine

The French established a fort and colony on the St. Johns River in 1564. Admiral General Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles was named governor of Florida and attempted to colonize the territory and obtain and protect the land from pirates and settlers from other nations.

History changed forever on August 28, 1565 when Don Pedro Menendez arrived off the coast of Florida and entered a community of Timucuan Indians. He named the village St. Augustine and from there he and his soldiers conquered the French colony and held the coast of Florida for the Spanish. Menendez began building the town of St. Augustine while establishing missions for the Indians and exploring the land. He spent nine years maintaining and growing the city while protecting it from the French and pirate attacks. After his death, his nephew became Governor of Florida. Upon his death, the King of Spain determined the Florida territory was important to Spain’s long term economic future and began provide funding for the community.

Spain authorized the building of a stone fort to protect St. Augustine as assaults from the north became more frequent. The Castillo de San Marcos took twenty three years to build and was completed in 1695.

In 1763, Spain ceded Florida to England and in 1783 was returned to Spanish rule for thirty-seven years. In 1783, Florida was returned to Spanish rule for a period of thirty-seven years. On July 10, 1821 Spain relinquished control of Florida to US troops.

Florida became the twenty-seventh state admitted to the Union in 1845. The Castillo de San Marcos was renamed Fort Marion in honor of a Revolutionary War hero, and the capital of East Florida was moved from St. Augustine to the new town of Tallahassee.

Florida seceded with the rest of the Confederacy in the Civil war and Union troops occupied the City during most of the conflict. When the War ended a new trade began for the City, a trade known now as “tourism.”

In the 1880’s Henry M. Flagler chose St. Augustine as the location for a major winter resort with the help of his friend John D. Rockefeller. Due to the popularity of the area, Flagler was responsible for the building of hotels, hospitals, city hall, and several churches.

In 1959, the state of Florida began an ongoing preservation effort to restore many of the colonial structures to their original state. Today, St. Augustine is a showcase of Spanish culture and a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. The many historical sites, miles of Atlantic coast beaches, museums, art galleries, dining and entertainment venues, and attractions make St. Augustine a beautiful place to visit and to live.