Tampa lies at the mouth of the Hillsborough River and the head of Tampa Bay, the largest inlet of the Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Peninsula. Tampa's focus on the industry and business distinguishes it form its sister city, and leading tourist destination.
Tampa's climate is humid subtropical, generally pleaant temperatures characterize its weather, moderted by the Gulf of Mexico, although winter freezes occasionally opccurs. Average high temperature in January is 21 degrees C (70 degrees F) and the average low is 10 degrees C (50 degrees F); the average high in July is 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) and the average low is 24 degrees C (75 degrees F). Tampa annually receives 1,120 mm (44 inches) of precipitation; most rain falls from June through September in late afternoon thunderstorms. In fact, Tampa Bay experiences more days of thunderstorms each year than any other location in the United States. The frequent thunderstorms gave the city its name: Tampa is derived from a Calusa Native American word meaning "Lightening".
