Is Tampa Colder Than Orlando Is Great Question.

Actually it is better than that. Tampa is cooler in the summer but ever so slightly warmer in the winter months. Both Tampa Bay and the actual city if Tampa FL which is inside of the area known as Tampa Bay have a great deal of water around them.

Tampa FL

In January the Gulf of Mexico is usually between 56 degrees and 79 degrees. This large body of water and yes, the bay areas hold their temperature better than the air does. The ability to maintain heat is called a "Heat Capacity" and water has a fairly high rating.

Heat Capacity also means it takes more energy to heat all of this water up. That means in those 90 degree days we have water surrounding us that is in the high 70 degree range up to the mid 80's which keeps Tampa Bay cooler via a sea breeze. That makes the Central Florida cities in this areas much more tolerable.

Downtown Orlando Weather

I visit Downtown Orlando all of the time. When it comes to Tampa vs Orlando, hey, I own Tampa FL.com. Obviously I prefer Tampa Bay and of course Tampa's gulf coast beaches. That being said, Orlando is just a few degrees warmer in the summer and still tolerable. In the winter months it does however get a few degrees cooler. Seldom does it freeze although it does more in Orlando than on Florida's gulf coast.

Orlando vs Tampa Bay

Orlando weather is just fine. It is also fairly consistent. That reason and being safer from hurricane season is why you will find Orlando's economy has a thriving job market, professional sports teams, Sea World, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World and many other smaller theme parks. The Orlando metropolitan area is also very nice. Just not as expansive or nice as Downtown Tampa. Both Tampa and Orlando have a fairly expansive club scene.

Florida Cities & South Florida

Both Orlando and Tampa are great choices for similar reasons. The exception is we are a coastal city (area) and Orlando is a inland city. They have better amusement parks although we do have Busch Gardens and better museums than you would expect in a major city. Tampa has the Florida Aquarium, Tampa Riverwalk, similar cost of living, a beach life if you choose it, ocean breeze and world class beaches 30 minutes away from just about any Tampa residents.