If you were coming to the Tampa Bay area this week for the sand, the sun and the ceviche, you’re likely lounging on a beach chair with an umbrella and a martini while you read this.

But if you arrived here at the last second for the Republican National Convention, you've likely noticed that it sure is lovely -- until you walk outside.

From Bayshore to Ybor, the city is crisp and clean for the RNC, rinsed by the rain and blow dried by less than awesome winds – hold the tornado near downtown Monday -- from Tropical Storm Isaac.

Before the storm, the skies cleared and the humidity dropped, leaving everyone to wonder just what the forecasters were talking about when they said a storm was coming from the south. During the storm, temperatures were in the 70s at night; unheard of in the dog days of summer.

All in all, it's been a right peachy and decent climate, manageable to walk 10 feet in -- until Tuesday. For the estimated 50,000 people -- delegates, media, GOP officials, support staff, et al – the purgatory of point A to inside an air conditioned Republican National Convention building such as the Tampa Bay Times Forum, a hotel or bar is again a hot, humid, and sweat-inducing experience.

With a security force the likes the Tampa Bay area has literally never seen, long waits in the heat are quickly becoming the standard for all downtown – though long may be hyperbole and complaints may be disproportionate to the actual wait time of one or two minutes.

“They just had this huge line of media with a line stretching around the block, because the X-ray machine was broken,” one media member who asked not to be identified said. When such issues arise, the wait in the 90-plus degree heat can be grueling. Add to that a little rain cloud overhead and it can be downright annoying.

The long walkway from the Forum to the Tampa Convention Center is in a spectacularly long, air conditioned white tent tunnel, but the condition of the air within is a bit less than the cooling of fond expectations and more stuffy than the thousands of suits on the poor souls who chose to wear them during a Central Florida August day.

Once in the real A.C. of the Forum or the Convention Center, one looks to the large bay windows at poor souls yet to make heaven and wonder for what they chose this path of humidity.

For the locals, this is Tampa: downtown sparkles in the sun, the channel is vibrant with the Westin and Tampa General Hospital glistening in the water’s reflection and the rain comes in spurts to be enjoyed if in a bathing suit and not a pinstripe.

The locals understand that with the heat and humidity comes the splendors and destination vacation spots inherent with the sub-tropics.

And you'll learn, too, you 50,000. You'll learn.