Snow in the Sunshine State
January is known as one of the coldest months in Florida, but this weather is still considered to be pretty "bipolar.” Some days it could be 45 degrees and the other days it could be 75 degrees. But not this year; the freezing temperatures started early and continued for what felt like forever. Florida started 2025 out with temperatures usually only ever seen in the north!
Even though we are in central Florida, we still felt the cold front that hit North Florida and other southern states hard. We might not have gotten snow like Pensacola and Tallahassee, but with our thin Floridian blood it sure felt like we were in a blizzard every day. Cities around the Panhandle saw up to 9.8 inches of snow! This was the first time the state saw snow since a snowstorm hit Tampa Bay in 1977.
Seeing snow on beaches and in ecosystems where the weather is typically warm 24/7 is a bizarre sight for anyone that has ever lived in Florida. Seeing snow in an environment where it never happens is a cool experience - but also somewhat alarming, due to showcasing the fast and dramatic effect of climate change.
Although the cold weather felt like it lasted for ages, it only lasted for a little over a week. February is also known to be a brutally cold winter month in Florida, so let’s wait and see what the weather brings!