Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Lakeland, Florida Weather

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Lakeland weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Lakeland, FL
Sunday, August 2 at 10:58 AM
79
°
Light Showers
Feels like
86°
Humidity
92%
Wind
10 mph
Sunrise
2:51 AM
Sunset
4:17 PM
Lakeland, FL
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastLakeland, FL: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 77 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit with a 51% chance of precipitation at 11 AM.
L 77°H 84°
Lakeland, FL
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Thunderstorm
    51%
    0.37″
    84°77°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Heavy Rain
    30%
    1.0″
    84°75°0°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Light Rain
    50%
    0.04″
    89°74°+5°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Thunderstorm
    74%
    —
    95°75°+6°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Thunderstorm
    64%
    —
    93°75°-2°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Overcast
    62%
    —
    94°77°+1°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Clear
    72%
    —
    93°75°-1°
Lakeland, FL
Next 24 hours · Mild now
74°80°86°12p6p12a6anow 78°high 84°low 77°PRECIP %
Lakeland, FL
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SW
229° · backing 11°
Direction
SW
229°
Sustained
10
mph
Gust
18
mph
Peak 24h
19
avg 6 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 6 mph · pk 19 mph @ 9:00a
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 2612SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 11° from the sw.
Lakeland, FL
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1007.3
+0.2 mb in 3h · steady · 29.75 inHg
Now
1007.3
mb
3h
+0.2
mb
12h
+0.6
mb
24h
-1.3
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1006–1008
1000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1008.11005.51006.8
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
Lakeland, FL
Air quality
36
AQI
Good
→-3 in 6h

AQI 36 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points).

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
4.4μg/m³
PM 10Good
5μg/m³
NO₂Good
5μg/m³
OzoneGood
42μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
2.4

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Lakeland, FL
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
14.7mi
UNLIMITED
50 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
14:58 UTC · Lakeland, FL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
14:58 UTC · Lakeland, FL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Lakeland, FL
Satellite · infrared · animated
Lakeland, FL
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Lakeland, FL
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
6:26 AM
Sunrise
2:51 AM
Daylight
13h 26m
Sunset
4:17 PM
Civil dusk
8:43 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Lakeland, FL
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
10:08 PM
Moonset
10:30 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Lakeland, FL
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Lakeland at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 5°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: February 3 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 33801, 33803, 33805, 33809, 33810, 33811, 33812, 33813 +1 more

16-Day Forecast — Lakeland

  1. Sun84°77°51%
  2. Mon84°75°30%
  3. Tue89°74°50%
  4. Wed95°75°74%
  5. Thu93°75°64%
  6. Fri94°77°62%
  7. Sat93°75°72%
  8. Sun94°76°61%
  9. Mon94°78°57%
  10. Tue92°77°47%
  11. Wed95°75°38%
  12. Thu94°74°44%
  13. Fri94°76°49%
  14. Sat96°77°40%
  15. Sun97°77°36%
  16. Mon98°74°29%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Lakeland

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Lakeland

SPC includes Lakeland in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

Sun & seasons in Lakeland

Lakeland sits in Polk County, where the year’s longest day runs 13h 55m of daylight and its shortest just 10h 22m — a swing of +3h 34m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Miami, the state’s largest city, lies about 190 miles to the SE. The nearest town Lakeland tracks is Willow Oak, roughly 10 miles to the SSW.

Air quality in Lakeland’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2025 (median AQI 34). See the full air-quality history for Lakeland.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

Sunset slides back toward 8 PM; darkness creeps in, signaling summer's decline though heat persists.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
Februarylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Apriltomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
June—lettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

Lakeland's warmest month is August (~81°F mean) and its coldest is January (~61°F). Rainfall peaks in July (6.4 inches) and bottoms out in November (1.2 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January61°2.3″16
February62°2.3″13
March66°2.7″14
April72°2.5″12
May78°2.6″15
June81°5.9″23
July81°6.4″28
August81°6.1″28
September79°4.9″26
October75°2.1″16
November67°1.2″13
December63°1.9″15

Regional context

Per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Lakeland runs from a 61°F January mean to 81°F in July, a 20°F seasonal spread, with near 40.9 inches of precipitation across about 218 wet days.

Summer convection drives Lakeland's precipitation: July logs 6.4 inches on 27.7 rainy days, against November's 1.2 inches on 13.2 — warm-season storms carry Lakeland's moisture. It is a warm-season-wet pattern Lakeland shares with places like Combee Settlement, FL, Crystal Lake, FL and Fussels Corner, FL.

Hard freezes are rare in Lakeland: the coldest month averages 61°F, so Lakeland's growing window runs most of the year. August is the hottest stretch near 81°F, pushing cool-season crops to the milder shoulder months. Within Lakeland, low or inland lots lose 3-5°F overnight versus Lakeland's coastal ground.

Similar climates: Combee Settlement, FL, Crystal Lake, FL, Fussels Corner, FL, Lakeland Highlands, FL, Kathleen, FL.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the distinctive calls of chuck-will's-widows echoing through Lakeland's evening air.

Southern magnolia trees reach full bloom during May, filling the warm nights with their heavy, lemony fragrance.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Lakeland?
Frost typically leaves Lakeland by mid-February and returns to Lakeland near mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Lakeland?
Rainfall in Lakeland peaks in July near 6.4 inches, out of about 41 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Lakeland?
August is Lakeland's warmest month, averaging about 81°F.
What is the coldest month in Lakeland?
Lakeland bottoms out in January, with a mean near 61°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Lakeland?
Lakeland's last frost (mid-February) cues hardy greens; in Lakeland, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Lakeland get?
Lakeland averages about 218 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Lakeland?
Lakeland's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 61°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Lakeland?
Lakeland's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Lakeland?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Lakeland in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Lakeland?
Current conditions for Lakeland and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Lakeland forecast updated?
The Lakeland forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Lakeland?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Lakeland are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Lakeland?
The next few days in Lakeland's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Lakeland, Florida occupies a humid subtropical zone, with January means near 61°F and July around 81°F — a 20°F swing.

Rain and snow bring Lakeland roughly 41 inches a year across approximately 218 measurable-precipitation days.

The 20°F gap between Lakeland's summer and winter, at 28.1°N, shapes Lakeland's frost calendar.

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ZIP codes in Lakeland

  • 33813
  • 33803
  • 33801
  • 33805
  • 33815
  • 33811
  • 33802
  • 33804
  • 33806

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.