Snowbird Packing Tips: Florida vs Arizona Winter

Florida winter is not Arizona winter. Ask me how I know!

Contents Show

I used to pack like “south is south.” One suitcase, summer clothes, maybe a hoodie if I remembered. Then I spent a Tucson January night wishing I’d brought a real jacket, and a November week in Florida wishing I’d packed rain gear instead of another pair of sandals.

What I learned? Packing for a season is not packing for a vacation. You are dressing for two different winters, then flying or driving with medications and batteries that have actual rules. If you are Canadian, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also cares about your pills, your dog’s paperwork, and what is in the trunk!

This is the Florida-vs-Arizona packing and general travel list I use now. I’ll cover Florida snowbird tax rules, Arizona snowbird tax rules, and how snowbirds handle mail in separate posts (so check those out for more info)!

Florida Winter Is Not Arizona Winter

I pack from the big picture, not last January’s snapshot. One warm month is a souvenir, not a packing exemption!

A favorite resource of mine is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) official 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. Those 30-year averages are the current official set, and can give you a lot of great data about what to really expect.

If you don’t want to read through those though, here is Phoenix Sky Harbor in January, from the National Weather Service (NWS) Phoenix 1991-2020 normals:

January normal maximum: 67.6°F
January normal minimum: 46.0°F
January normal mean: 56.8°F
January rain: 0.87 in

Nice January. Still not how I pack the whole season.

Tucson’s NWS 1991-2020 normals tell the desert-night story even more clearly:

January: 66.5°F / 40.8°F
December: 65.5°F / 40.5°F
November: 75.1°F / 47.9°F
About 12 days a year at or below 32°F
April: 82.9°F / 53.3°F
May: 91.8°F / 61.8°F

Phoenix’s annual historical normal mean is 75.6°F, with only 7.22 in of rain. Desert winter is dry, with large day-to-night swings and a fast spring heat-up. Pack a real jacket for desert nights and higher-elevation side trips.

South Florida is a different winter. Miami International Airport’s averages run:

January: 76.2°F / 61.0°F
November: 81.3°F / 68.3°F
December: 78.2°F / 64.3°F
April: 83.6°F / 69.8°F

Humid-subtropical: milder nights than Arizona, far more moisture, less day-to-night swing. Clothes follow the climate, not the word “winter.”

Arizona: layers, sun-protective long sleeves, and that real jacket
Florida: breathable warm-weather clothes, a light layer for cool snaps and A/C
Florida in November: add rain gear

My Season Packing List

I pack by bucket, not by brand.

Arizona clothes

Layers
Sun-protective long sleeves
A real jacket for nights and higher-elevation trips
A plan for April-May heat (Tucson’s confirmed normals plus Phoenix’s fast spring heat-up) depending how long you stay

Florida clothes

Breathable warm-weather clothes
A light A/C layer
Rain gear if you arrive in November

Sun kit

EPA / NWS SPF
Hat
Sunglasses
Shade

Disaster kit

Ready.gov build-a-kit list
Hurricane kit if you land in November
Smaller kit in the car (reference the same ready.gov list)

Fly extras

Quart bag (TSA 3-1-1)
Declared liquid meds
CPAP in the cabin
Spare lithium in the cabin
Your airline’s bag rules

Drive extras

Small emergency and/or roadside kit in the car
Nothing living or heat-sensitive left in a hot parked car
Climate-controlled storage in Florida for meds, CPAP supplies, and paper

Documents pouch

The “do not lose” list below

Canadian extras

Passport or WHTI card
Photocopies
I-94 if staying over 30 days
Labeled Rx
BSF407
Receipts

Pet extras

CDC Dog Import Form receipt
ISO microchip
Rabies certificate for the return to Canada

Recheck TSA’s ID page, Health Canada’s controlled-substance rules (especially before October 1, 2026), and the CDC dog pages the week you leave.

Sun Is Not Optional, Even in January

Desert Arizona and Florida both see high to very high winter-spring ultraviolet (UV). Arizona’s elevation, dry air, and reflective surfaces raise the risk.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) UV Index is my simple scale:

Index 3-7: broad-spectrum SPF 15+, a hat, sunglasses, protective clothing, and shade from late morning through mid-afternoon
Index 8+: add extra protection

The NWS heat-UV page is a little more “don’t mess around”: SPF 30+, applied 15 minutes before you go out, and reapplied every 2 hours.

In short: pack the sunscreen, protective gear, and treat the sun like you would any other day; it doesn’t go away just because it’s winter!

Cars Still Get Dangerous on “Nice” Days

NWS is blunt: never leave children, disabled adults, or pets in a parked vehicle, even in winter. Hyperthermia can happen in the 70s°F. Cracked windows do not meaningfully slow the heating.

Dark dashboards and seats can reach 180-200°F. Pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths happen year-round (average 38 a year, 1998-2022).

Arizona spring is the stretch I worry about most. Tucson’s April-May normals are already in the mid-80s to 90s°F. Phoenix’s annual 75.6°F mean and that fast spring heat-up point the same way.

That is high risk for people, pets, medications, and electronics left in a car! Don’t assume you don’t need to worry about things just because it’s “winter” – the threat is still very real!

Florida’s problem is quieter. Humidity plus heat degrade medications, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) supplies, and paper. There is no official itemized humidity list. Instead, I keep those items climate-controlled when possible (in the cabin of the car when driving, and transferring them immediately to temperature controlled lodging), follow manufacturer labels, and keep ID and insurance copies waterproof the way the Ready.gov build-a-kit page asks.

If You Land in Florida in November, Pack a Hurricane Kit

Atlantic hurricane season is officially June 1 through November 30. The peak is about September 10, and storms can occur outside those dates. November arrivals are still inside the official season.

The Eastern Pacific season (May 15-November 30) matters less for metro Phoenix than for Florida and the Gulf.

The 1991-2020 Atlantic-season average is:

14 named storms
7 hurricanes
3 major hurricanes

Seasonal outlooks change. Recheck the National Hurricane Center the week you leave. An outlook is not a packing exemption – my motto is you should always be prepared!

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) kit is the list I actually pack from:

Water: 1 gallon per person per day for several days
Non-perishable food
A NOAA Weather Radio
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid
Prescriptions
Copies of IDs and insurance in waterproof storage
A phone backup battery

Keep a kit at home and a smaller kit in the car. Florida’s Division of Emergency Management says stock at least 7 days of supplies. I buy food and water supplies when I arrive; the rest are packed and arrive with me.

Flying vs Driving

Air travel is constrained by the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 3-1-1 rule, lithium-battery rules, screening, and each airline’s own weight and piece limits. There is no single federal passenger bag-weight standard. Check your carrier for specifics, as overweight charges can definitely add up!

Driving skips the TSA liquid limit. However, you still face CBP or Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) declarations (when crossing the Canadian border), agricultural bans, and responsibility for everything in the vehicle.

Pack a smaller Ready.gov kit for the car. I use that same official list, not a separate car-kit page. Do not leave medications, aerosol cans, electronics, pets, or people in a parked car in the heat (and this applies to both Arizona and Florida)!

TSA 3-1-1, Meds, CPAP, Batteries

TSA 3-1-1 is the carry-on liquids rule I actually live with:

Liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, and pastes in containers of 3.4 oz (100 ml) or less
All of them in one quart-sized bag
Larger non-medical liquids go in checked bags
The TSA officer has the final say

Pills and solids are allowed, and labels help. Medically necessary liquids, gels, and creams may exceed 3.4 oz / 100 ml in a carry-on if you declare them and they are screened separately. The TSA medication FAQ is worth a pre-flight skim.

Ice, freezer, or gel packs for meds are allowed frozen, partly frozen, or melted
Accessories (IV bags, pumps, syringes) must be screened
You may ask that liquid meds not be X-rayed or opened (but that triggers extra screening)

TSA’s CPAP / BiPAP / APAP / nebulizer page allows those devices in carry-on and checked bags.

Device, masks, and tubing may stay in the case for X-ray
They may have to come out in standard lanes
PreCheck may leave them in the bag
Nebulizer-associated liquids are exempt from 3-1-1 in reasonable quantities
Ordinary water, including distilled humidifier water, is still 3-1-1
Lithium batteries in the devices are preferred in carry-on (Federal Aviation Administration, FAA)
Officer still has the final say

FAA’s lithium summary is the battery rule I pack around:

Spare lithium-ion or lithium-metal batteries, power banks, and e-cigarettes or vapes are carry-on only
Protect the terminals
Damaged or recalled batteries are forbidden
Devices in checked bags must be fully off and protected
If a bag is gate-checked, pull spares and power banks into the cabin
0-100 Wh: typically allowed
101-160 Wh: need airline approval, limit two spares (TSA’s over-100 Wh page)
Over 160 Wh: generally forbidden
Mobility-aid batteries have separate PackSafe limits (up to 300 Wh in some cases)

TSA Cares covers the mobility and medical-device screening you should know before you get in line. Walkers, crutches, canes, wheelchairs, and scooters are screened. Age 75+ in a wheelchair or scooter (and PreCheck passengers who cannot stand) may remain seated.

Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) stay on the body. Pacemakers: avoid the walk-through metal detector, and talk to your physician.

IDs at the Checkpoint

For U.S. domestic travel, age 18+, a REAL ID-compliant license or ID is required if you are using a state driver’s license or ID. That’s the rule on TSA’s identification page.

Also acceptable:

Passport
Passport card
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) trusted-traveler card
Unexpired foreign passport
Other IDs on TSA’s list

Temporary licenses are not valid. Canadian provincial driver’s licenses are not acceptable for flying or ground border crossings (though they are acceptable as a license to drive within the US, if you are driving).

TSA ConfirmID is an optional $45 fallback with extra screening if you have no acceptable ID. That is a paid last resort, not a plan!

Children under 18 generally do not need TSA ID for domestic flights (the airline may differ, so make sure to check before you leave).

The Documents I Actually Put in the “Do Not Lose” Pouch

This is the pouch that does not go in the checked bag.

Government photo ID, plus REAL ID or a passport as applicable
Passport(s) and a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant card if you are crossing
Copies of IDs, insurance policies, and other important records in waterproof or electronic form (Ready.gov kit list)
Medication list (brand and generic, strength, dose)
Original prescription (Rx) bottles, plus a prescription or English doctor’s letter
Provincial or state health cards, and/or travel-medical insurance cards
I-94 confirmation if you are staying more than 30 days
Form BSF407 for valuables leaving Canada
Pet U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dog Import Form receipt plus rabies and microchip records
NEXUS card if you are enrolled

travel.gc.ca is plain about U.S. care: excellent, expensive, and hospitals treat emergencies then bill. Pack travel or private insurance cards and copies. You’ll want to check in advance what your plans actually cover!

If You Are a U.S. Snowbird

Here is my U.S. snowbird packing pass:

Domestic flyers 18+: REAL ID or another TSA-acceptable ID
Clothes based on the averages (Florida humid-mild, possible November moisture; Arizona dry, cool nights, rapid April-May heat-up)
Sun protection is not optional
Essential meds and the CPAP stay in the carry-on (if flying)
Declare liquid meds (if flying)
Treat ordinary CPAP water as 3-1-1 unless it is a nebulizer-associated liquid
Spare lithium batteries and power banks stay in the cabin (when flying)
Emergency kit in the car (if driving)
Hurricane kit if arriving in hurricane season

If You Are a Canadian Snowbird

Canadian packing is half clothes and half paperwork. I keep the documents in that same “do not lose” pouch.

Getting Into the U.S. (What Goes in the Bag)

Air: a valid Canadian passport (or other listed air document) for all ages, including transit. Land or water, age 16+: Canadian passport, Enhanced Driver’s Licence, or NEXUS / SENTRI / FAST, valid for the entire stay. The CBP WHTI FAQs and travel.gc.ca are the pages I check, not a Facebook group.

Typical visitor stay is up to 6 months. Declare the stay you intend. Overstay can have serious consequences.

travel.gc.ca still says visitors staying more than 30 days must be registered with the U.S. government. The live U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form is G-325R if you were not already registered, but plenty of air arrivals and Trusted Traveler entries already count through I-94 or NEXUS / SENTRI / FAST / Global Entry. Verify your I-94 at CBP and use the USCIS Alien Registration Requirement tool before you file anything.

Dual U.S.-Canadian citizens enter the U.S. on a U.S. passport and should carry both
Canadian permanent residents may need a U.S. visa
Carry government photo ID plus photocopies of the passport ID page
Officers may search phones and laptops and demand passwords

Prescriptions, Controlled Drugs, and the “No Cannabis” Rule

Pack Canada-filled prescriptions in original labeled containers. travel.gc.ca and CBP use a 90-day personal-use rule of thumb entering the U.S. CBP has absolute discretion.

Some over-the-counter (OTC)-in-Canada drugs are Rx-only in the U.S. Pack generic and brand names plus a prescription or doctor’s letter.

CBP: comply with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) if the drug is controlled. Travel with your own meds. U.S. citizens generally may not import foreign-purchased Rx for personal use.

Health Canada is stricter on narcotics and controlled drugs (morphine, oxycodone, methadone, hydromorphone, barbiturates, amphetamines, anabolic steroids):

The lesser of a single course or a 30-day supply
Labeled, pharmacy or hospital pack, prescribed
For you or a person in your care traveling with you (not animals)
Declare at CBSA
Stay in Canada more than 30 days: get a Canadian physician’s prescription

Targeted substances (lorazepam, alprazolam, zolpidem):

The lesser of a course or a 90-day supply
Extra label fields
Foreign residents can also be capped by days of stay and full-container rules

Do not mail narcotics or controlled drugs.

GUI-0116 is the personal-use health-product rule:

Personal use is generally a 90-day supply or one course
Visitors may bring a personal quantity
Stays longer than 3 months may bring another 90-day supply every 3 months by mail or courier with visitor-status proof
Medical devices for self-use are generally unrestricted if no professional operator is needed

Cannabis in any form or quantity is illegal across the Canada-U.S. border (U.S. federal law).

Health Canada’s Section 56 class exemption is slated to be revoked when new Controlled Substances Regulations take effect on October 1, 2026. Always make sure to check in when planning travel, as things can change!

Travel Medical Proof

Pack proof of travel medical insurance and your medication list. I highly recommend reading your policy in advance to understand what it does and does not cover so you’re prepared in case of an emergency.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to travel medical insurance coverage!

Pets Are Paperwork, Not Just the Crate

The crate is the easy part. CDC dog rules and the form interface are what I check the week I travel.

Every dog entering or re-entering the U.S. must:

Be at least 6 months old
Appear healthy
Have a universally readable ISO (International Organization for Standardization) microchip
Have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt (free, one per dog, valid 6 months for repeat Canada-U.S. trips if no high-risk country)

Canada is treated as dog-rabies-free / low-risk if the dog stayed only in such countries for 6 months. Then you only need the form plus age, chip, and health to meet the federal CDC documents.

Dogs that visited a high-risk country in the prior 6 months face extra vaccine, titer, and facility rules. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says those dogs are not eligible to enter the U.S. directly from Canada.

Individual states may still require rabies vaccination. Returning to Canada, CFIA import rules still apply (typically a valid rabies certificate). Cats: CBP and CDC do not require a federal rabies certificate, but there is inspection, and some states require a rabies vaccine. Make sure to check in advance.

Recheck CDC’s DogBot and CFIA’s dogs-to-USA page the week you travel. These rules can shift often.

Leave These Out of the Suitcase (and the Trunk)

This is not a “nice to skip” list. These are seizure and penalty items at both borders:

Cannabis
Firearms
Fresh produce
Soil-contaminated footwear or vehicles
Undeclared food, plant, or animal products

CBP cites a $300 civil penalty for a first-time U.S. agriculture non-declaration.

Coming Home to Canada (What to Pack Receipts For)

CBSA’s returning-resident guide is the receipt speech to give yourself before you shop:

After 7 or more days away: the CAN$800 duty- and tax-free personal exemption, goods for personal or household use
You cannot combine it with another person
Snowbirds away 6 months or less for health or pleasure remain Canadian residents for exemption purposes
Alcohol (48 hours or more away): one of 1.5 L of wine, or 1.14 L of spirits, or 8.5 L of beer
Tobacco (48 hours or more, age 18+): 200 cigarettes plus 50 cigars plus 200 g manufactured tobacco plus 200 sticks (duty-paid stamps for duty-free treatment)

Declare all goods acquired abroad. A false declaration can mean seizure (penalty 25-70% of value). Identify valuables on Form BSF407 before you leave Canada.

Currency or monetary instruments of CAN$10,000 or more must be reported. You cannot use NEXUS when carrying CAN$10,000 or more.

CBSA’s snowbird return tips are short and useful:

Have documents and receipts ready
Declare narcotic or controlled meds in labeled containers
You are responsible for everything in the vehicle
Advance Declaration is available up to 72 hours before arrival at listed Canadian airports

Final Thoughts

If I have to leave you with one thing, it is the same thing I started with. Florida winter is not Arizona winter. Packing for a season is not the same as packing for a vacation!

That is the whole job of these snowbird packing tips: dress for the winter you are actually flying or driving into, be prepared while you’re there, and keep the documents and receipts with the rules that follow you.

Use the lists above once, check the official pages the week you leave, and pack the jacket and the rain gear even if last January felt mild! Happy travels!

Author
Recent Posts

Emily Bradley

Hi, my name is Emily Bradley, and welcome to Snowbird Haven!

I was born and raised in the northern United States, and one thing I learned pretty early on in life is: I hate the cold and snow. Sure, there’s something charming about the first snowfall of the year, but after that, I’m out.

While a part of my heart will always lie in New England, the older I get, the more I want to escape it during the coldest months.

That’s where the snowbirding lifestyle earned its appeal for me. When the bad weather starts to loom, I head south to find warmer climates to get me through until spring and warmer weather returns.