 Over the winter prevailing winds are out of the north across the panhandle south to near Orlando , but are variable in the rest of the state . The summer season sees generally east and southeast winds across the peninsula . During the summer months , the average wind pattern implies a surface ridge axis which normally lies across central Florida , with easterly winds from Tampa southward and southwest winds across northern Florida . The peak wind gust during the 1930 through 1997 period was 115 mph ( 100 knots ) at Miami International Airport during Hurricane Andrew . 
