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Don't know if anyone remembers, but I had mentioned at one point that I might consider leaving academia. A huge portion of my family has, for inexplicable reasons, relocated to FL. I was wondering if anyone knew what Melbourne was like. I have a probable interview there (pending my salary requirements, which may price me out of the interview).

I've read the wiki entry. I'm hoping someone has personal info. Thanks in advance.

Weird. I'm looking at a couple of positions in Florida too. Not Melbourne specifically, but Florida keeps popping on my radar lately.

In the last month we have had 8 visits from Melbourne, FL and a grip of others from surrounding communities like Palm Bay and Satellite Beach.

Possibly a lurker, but someone has the information you need.

I came into this thread expecting Melbourne, Australia.

I have a client in Melbourne that I visit a couple times a year. It seems to me to be about as middle-class as a town on the Florida coast can be. Not too much ritz and glitz. I rather like it there, but I can't speak with the perspective of one who's lived there.

The airport in Melbourne is one of the most expensive in the country, however. If you do a lot of flying it would probably be worth it to make the 90-minute drive to Orlando, where cheap flights abound.

What would you like to know?

All of Florida is overly hot, hellishly humid, and full of either rednecks, old people, or old rednecks.

Or just plain ol' idiots.

If you're not a fan of heat I don't recommend coming anywhere near this side of the US. The humidity in GA/FL is horrifying. My uncle lives in Sarasota and I was there house sitting for a week in June. I felt like my eyes were going to melt out of my head when I'd go outside.

He lives in Louisiana. I think he can handle the humidity and the heat.

Quick thoughts:

The weather in Melbourne is hot and humid. The 90 degree weather usually starts in May and ends in September. Typically, it doesn't get into the high 90's; although, this year was an exception. It is not unusual for it to rain every afternoon during the summer. On the other hand, the weather outside of summer is pretty good to great. March and April are dry and mild. The end of September through early January are mild with occasional rain showers. Winter, such as it is, starts in January and runs through February. Typically, it gets below freezing at night for 1 to 3 days a year. It never snows.

Hurricanes are an issue. The area gets hit about once every 8 years. Generally, if you are prepared, this is a manageable issue.

Tornadoes are generally not an issue.

Lightning is a concern. Central Florida is often called "the lightning capital of the US".

I appreciate it. I had the phone interview already, and they said they wanted someone with more earthquake experience. Ain't it the way. I find something in my narrow field, and they want an even narrower band of it.