Snow in Florida does happen, but a white Christmas is much less likely
Will there be snow in Florida for Christmas 2023?
Unlikely, but it has snowed in Florida, and not just in North Florida.
Florida is just too far south for the cold, wet stuff to arrive regularly. Add to that the lack of mountains, which means you can find snow in Arizona and Hawaii, well, let's just say you don't need to plan on trading those water skis for snow skis anytime soon.
Has it ever snowed in Florida?
Yes, it has. While snow doesn't exactly fall every year, even in North Florida, it has made an appearance, much to the delight of several residents.
The first documented account of snow in Florida was reported in 1774, according to the Florida Climate Center.
"Since 1886, there have been more than 80 months in which at least a trace of snow has been reported somewhere in the state," the Climate Center reported.
How far south has it snowed in Florida?
Snow has fallen in Homestead and Miami Beach.
No, we're not kidding.
On Jan. 19, 1977, snow fell in South Florida for the first time in recorded history, according to the National Weather Service.
The snow was the result of a combination precipitation associated with an upper level trough that followed a strong Arctic cold front into the state.
Snow was seen across Southeast Florida as far south as Homestead and even on Miami Beach. Weather observers also reported snow in West Palm Beach, LaBelle, Hollywood, and Royal Palm Ranger Station in deep South Miami-Dade County.
"Residents and visitors were both surprised and thrilled at the rare phenomena, and localnewspapers ran headlines which were nearly as big as it would be for major national orworld events," the Weather Service reported.
The event even managed to bump news of President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration.
How much snow actually fell in South Florida in 1977?
Every reporting station in North and Central Florida recorded at least a trace of snow, according to the Weather Service.
Tampa measured 0.20 inches and Plant City, east of Tampa, measured up to 2 inches.
West Palm Beach reported its first snowfall on record at 6:10 a.m. and continued to report light snow through 8 a.m. LaBelle also reported snow.
Before the 1977 snowfall, how far south had it snowed in Florida?
The farthest south snow had been previously observed was along a line from Fort Myers to Fort Pierce in February 1899, according to the National Weather Service.
1899 Great Arctic Outbreak brought lowest temperature ever recorded in Florida
In February 1899, a cold wave that became known as the Great Arctic Outbreak pushed frigid Canadian arctic air into Florida.
The cold wave brought the lowest temperature ever recorded in Florida, -2 degrees on Feb. 13 in Tallahassee.
"During the Great Arctic Outbreak, which was responsible for one of the biggest widespread snow events in the state, snow measured up to 3 inches deep in numerous Panhandle communities, and snow flurries were reported as far south as Fort Myers," the Florida Climate Center said.
The Christmas coastal snowstorm of 1989
The largest snowstorm in history (at that time) for the Southeast U.S. coast occurred just before Christmas, from Dec. 22-24, 1989, according to the National Weather Service.
The Christmas coastal snowstorm broke snowfall records in Wilmington, North Carolina — which saw 15.3 inches — and even brought measurable snow as far south as Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Snow flurries were reported in Tampa and near Sarasota.
Along with the snow came Arctic air, with record lows reported around the state. The temperature in Key West fell to 44 degrees.
Snowfall in Florida from the 1989 Christmas storm
Live Oak: 3"
Mayport: 2.9"
Jacksonville Beach: 2.5"
Jasper: 2"
Jacksonville Naval Air Station: 1"
Monticello: 1"
Tallahassee Airport: 1"
Madison: 1"
Jacksonville airport: 0.8"
Trace amounts of snow were reported at:
Myakka River State Park
Daytona Beach airport
Crescent City
Gainesville airport
Tampa airport
Clermont
Whiting Field Naval Air Station
Apalachicola airport
Pensacola airport
Crestview airport
Pensacola Naval Air Station
Could South Florida see snow again?
"History has already shown us that it can, and if it’s happened once, it can definitely happen again someday," the Weather Service said.
"In fact, there were unconfirmed reports of snow mixing with rain in South Florida on Jan. 9, 2010."
When was the last time it snowed in Pensacola?
Most recent snowfall in Pensacola: Jan. 28, 2014
Total amount of snowfall: 1"
Has it ever snowed on Christmas? No.
Record snowfall: 2.3" on Mar. 6, 1954
"It will snow this Christmas, but it will be in liquid format," said Joe Maniscalco, observation program leader at the National Weather Service/Mobile. "It looks like we'll have a soggy Christmas this year."
"It's rare to see snow in Pensacola, but it does happen. All the ingredients have to come together in almost perfect format," Maniscalco said.
If you're wondering, the earliest recorded snowfall in Pensacola was 0.5" on Dec. 5, 1886.
When was the last time it snowed in Tallahassee?
Most recent snowfall in Tallahassee: Jan. 3, 2018
Total amount of snowfall: 0.1"
Has it ever snowed on Christmas? No, although the city did see 1" of snow Dec. 22-23, 1989
Record snowfall: 2.8" on Feb. 12-13, 1958
"Snow this far south is unprecedented but not rare," said Mark Wool, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service/Tallahassee.
"We get flurries every few years, but usually when it's cold enough to snow, there's no precipitation."
When was the last time it snowed in Jacksonville?
Most recent snowfall in Jacksonville: Dec. 23, 1989
Total amount of snowfall: 2.5"
Has it ever snowed on Christmas? No, although there may still have been some still on the ground from the Dec. 23, 1989, snowfall.
"For us, if we get any kind of frozen precipitation, it causes a huge impact to the area, especially in regard to transportation," said Angie Enyedi, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office, Jacksonville. "It takes time to get resources down to the area, like de-icing equipment for runways."
More Jacksonville snow trivia: Rain changed to snow in Jacksonville on Dec. 23, 1989, bringing several inches of snow to some locations. Jacksonville had its first White Christmas, the Florida Climate Center said.
Florida 1-day snowfall extremes
Snowfall maximums inches from each county as compiled by NOAA. If no county is listed, no measurable snowfall has been reported.
The record was set in Santa Rosa County, which recorded 4 inches of snow on March 6, 1954.
Alachua: 1.5" on Jan. 18, 1977
Bay: 2" on Feb. 13, 1958
Bradford: 2" on Jan. 19, 1977
Calhoun: 2" on Feb. 13, 1958
Clay: 0.1" on Dec. 30, 1917
Columbia: 1" on Feb. 15, 1895
Duval: 2.5" on Dec. 23, 1989
Escambia: 2.3" on Mar. 6, 1954
Franklin: 1.2" on Feb. 12, 1958
Gadsden: 2.5" on Feb. 13, 1958
Gulf: 2.7" on Feb. 13, 1958
Hamilton: 3" on Feb. 13, 1958
Hillsborough: 0.2" on Jan. 19, 1977
Holmes: 0.1" on Dec. 31, 1917
Jackson: 2.0" on Feb. 12, 1958
Jefferson: 3.0" on Feb. 13, 1958
Leon: 2.4" on Feb. 12, 1958
Liberty: 0.5" on Dec. 31, 1917
Madison: 1" on Dec. 23, 1989
Marion: 0.1" on Jan. 9, 2010
Nassau: 1.5" on Feb. 13, 1958
Okaloosa: 3." on Feb. 13, 1958
Pasco: 1" on Jan. 19, 1977
Polk: 0.8" Jan. 19, 1977
Putnam: 2" on Feb. 3, 1951
Santa Rosa: 4" on Mar. 6, 1954
St. Johns: 2" on Feb. 3, 1951
Suwannee: 3" on Dec. 23, 1989
Taylor: 3" on Feb. 13, 1958
Wakulla: 3" on Feb. 13, 1958
Walton: 2" on Feb. 9, 1973
Washington: 2" on Jan. 31, 1977
Sleet reported on Christmas Day 2022 in Brevard County
The National Weather Service in Melbourne can confirm that sleet, also known as ice pellets, has occurred near the Rockledge, Viera, and Merritt Island areas in Brevard County.
— NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) December 25, 2022
A winter storm brought sleet to Brevard County on Dec. 25, 2022.
The National Weather Service in Melbourne confirmed sleet, also known as ice pellets, was observed near the Rockledge, Viera, and Merritt Island areas in Brevard County.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Snow in Florida: Record snowfall, lowest temperature, christmas storm
