Miami Humidity: Yea or Nay?

Jessica Lipscomb June 14, 2021 8:00AM

Miami humidity: sweet relief or suffocation? Photo by Qfamily/Flickr

When the sliding glass doors open at Miami International Airport and you step foot outside in the Magic City, it's not always guaranteed that your mom or your Uber driver will be there waiting. But regardless of the season, you can count on one thing: the Miami humidity will be.

"Anyone that has traveled more than once to Miami International Airport knows that feeling," says Sabrina Rodríguez, a Politico reporter and Miami native who now lives in Washington, D.C. "I'm like, 'Yes, I am home. This is the feeling of home.'"

Earlier this month when Rodríguez landed at MIA, she dashed off a tweet about that distinctly 305 feeling. "Nothing says Miami more than the immediate wave of humidity that hits when you walk out of Miami International Airport," she wrote.

Nothing says Miami more than the immediate wave of humidity that hits when you walk out of Miami International Airport
— Sabrina Rodríguez (@sabrod123) June 3, 2021

The tweet, which got more than 1,500 likes, sparked an intense debate on Miami Twitter about whether humidity is a beloved friend or a sworn enemy.

"One of my fav things when I come home. You just can't describe it. All the feels," one person commented.

"Favorite things?? I immediately go 'ugh,'" another responded.

Fans of Miami humidity noted its benefits as a natural fountain of youth.

"Opens your heart and your pores," journalist Monica Castillo wrote.

But, of course, there are trade-offs.

"Great for you[r] skin! Your hair – not so much!" another Twitter user remarked.

Great for you skin! Your hair - not so much! pic.twitter.com/YdAQY5v4kr
— Dixie Scott (@DixieScott) June 3, 2021

When your hair immediately doubles in size… home
— Samantha J. Gross (@samanthajgross) June 3, 2021

To some Miamians, the sensation of being hit with humidity is like being wrapped in a weighted blanket or a hug from a loved one. New Times food editor Laine Doss is not one of them.

"More like a hug from a warm, dead squid," she scoffs.

Miami attorney David Winker counts himself among the humidity stans.

"I'm Team Yes Humidity," he says. "When I hit that wall of heat, it turns me on."

Hailing from western Canada, Winker says he knows better than to complain about the heat. "Every day in Florida is like waking up in heaven for me. I don't care how hot it is." (Winker, a real freak, adds that he even likes the scent of rotting mangos: "Even that smell. I love Miami in the summer.")

But even if you're not a lover of Miami humidity, if you're a true Floridian, it will always make you feel some kind of way.

"I hate it so much, except for all the times I missed it," MSNBC producer Adam Weinstein tweeted.

KEEP MIAMI NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started Miami New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.

Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1.