I am considering going to South Beach for a week in late August. Aside from the hurricane risk, I am concerned about the heat. How miserable will the heat/humidity really be? Is the beach intolerable, or is there usually a breeze? Is rain likely every afternoon - or more often? Does it cool down enough at night to be comfortable when outside? Thanks!

Please don't take offense, but anyone who goes to Miami in late August is frankly, out of their mind. Unless you like to sweat a LOT!

Well, where do you live? It does depend on what you are already used to, I think. Since I live in southern California, I'm used to very dry summers. So:

-- South Beach in late August is very hot and very humid. The sun is quite strong, and you'd best bring a bottle of water with you if you go out.

-- Right at the shore, ocean breezes cool things off a little, so it's more bearable.

-- It could rain every afternoon for an hour or less. That's typical for tropical climates. It cools things down nicely, but when the sun comes out again, the humidity shoots up again, so....

-- It will cool down somewhat in the evening, but it will still be humid and noticeably warm. Keep hydrated.

Really, that's my best suggestion: Keep well-hydrated. And don't forget sunscreen and a hat! You'll be fine. Enjoy yourself!

I am from Washington, DC. I'm used to some heat and humidity but didn't really know what to expect in South Florida that time of year...

I live in South Beach. The weather in August is 95 during the day and in the low 80's at night. This is an island and there is usually a breeze. It is actually much more comfortable than Miami. It rains for a few minutes almost every day and then drys up in minutes. The sun is the one thing that is pretty intense. You will be fine at the beach if you bring an umbrella. One good thing, it will not be flooded with tourists.

Lived in Miami for 1o years....August is hot but you get very nice breezes! You may get an afternoon thunder storm but they pass quickly and you can always pop into the News Cafe for coffee while it blows over! Enjoy! I love it there!

From my experience in Miami Beach in late August, it is super hot, very humid, and miserable. The water tempurature is close to 90 degrees so the breezes don't cool that much.

Did not relaize the water was that hot - it explains a friend of mine who couldn't bear to go swimming in south Beach last summer - said she felt like she was being boiled alive.