List of snow events in Florida

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Snowfall events by month

The following is a list of known snow events in Florida. Snow rarely occurs in the U.S. state of Florida, as freezing temperatures in the state are generally caused by the cold and dry winds of anticyclones. Frost is more common than snow, requiring temperatures at or less than 45 °F (7 °C), a cloudless sky, and a relative humidity of 65% or more.^[1] Generally, for snow to occur, the polar jet stream must move southward through Texas and into the Gulf of Mexico, with a stalled cold front across the southern portion of the state curving northeastward to combine freezing air into the frontal clouds.^[2] Most of the state is in a rare portion of the continental United States which receives a mean maximum monthly snowfall amount of zero, the only other such areas being southern Texas and California.^[3] Much of the information prior to 1900 is from a weather climatology provided by the Jacksonville National Weather Service. Information for other locations is sparse.^[1]

1 Events
2 References

[edit] Events

[edit] Pre-1900

1774 – A snow storm extends across much of the state. The affected residents speak of it as an "extraordinary white rain."^[1]
1797 – Land surveyor Andrew Ellicott reports 8 inch (203 mm) snow drifts near the source of the St. Marys River in Baker County.^[4]
January 11, 1800 – Over 5 inches (127 mm) of snow are on the ground along the St. Marys River to the north of Jacksonville, the highest recorded snowfall total in Florida history.^[2]
January 13, 1852 – Several hours of snow accumulates to a total of a half of an inch (13 mm) in Jacksonville.^[1]
February 28, 1855 – Light snow flurries are reported in Jacksonville.^[1]
January 29, 1868 – Light sleet falls throughout the night in northeastern Florida.^[1]
February 28, 1869 – During the morning hours some snow flurries are reported in Jacksonville.^[1]
January 10, 1873 – At 7:25 am, a few snowflakes fall near Jacksonville.^[1]
February 4 & 5, 1875 – Light sleet occurs between midnight and sunrise on both dates.^[1]
January 4, 1879 – For an hour and a half, sleet falls in Jacksonville before turning to rain. The rainfall covers grounds and trees with ice early on January 5, breaking the limbs to many orange trees.^[1]
January 5, 1887 – An inch (25 mm) of snow falls at Pensacola.^[5]
January 14, 1892 – 0.4 inches (10 mm) of snow is reported at Pensacola.^[5]
February 14, 1892 – Pensacola reports 3 inches (76 mm) of snow.^[6]
December 27, 1892 – Light snow falls in various intervals in the northeastern portion of the state.^[1]
January 18, 1893 – Falling sleet turns to snow before later changing to rain in Jacksonville.^[1]
February 14, 1895 – Two short durations of light snow are reported in Jacksonville.^[1]
February 12 & 13, 1899 – Rain changes to sleet and later turns to snow during the Great Blizzard of 1899, with the snow falling for about 8 hours. With temperatures of about 10 °F (−12 °C), the snow accumulates to 2 inches (50 mm) near Jacksonville^[1] and 4 inches (101 mm) at Lake Butler.^[6] In some locations, the snow remains on the ground for several days.^[1]

[edit] 1900s

Map of Florida

December 16, 1901 – Light snow is reported in Jacksonville.^[1]
February 7, 1907 – Downtown Jacksonville receives light snow flurries in the early afternoon.^[1]
November 27, 1912 – An overnight period of snow covers the ground and trees with a 0.5 inch (12 mm) layer in northern Florida.^[7]
January 22, 1935 – Snow falls until the next morning, with Pensacola recording 1 inch (25 mm).^[5]
February 2, 1951 – Snowfall begins and ends the following day, accumulating to about 2 inches (50 mm) in Saint Augustine and Crescent City.^[6]
March 28, 1955 – Snowfall accumulates to about an inch in Marianna along the Florida Panhandle.^[8]
February 13, 1958 – An overnight rainfall changes to snowfall in Jacksonville and accumulates to about 1.5 inches (38 mm).^[2] Additionally, Tallahassee reports a record 2.8 inches (71 mm).^[6]
February 9, 1973 – Snow falls over the northern portion of the state, including a total of 2 inches (50 mm) in Pensacola with unofficial reports of up to 8 inches (200 mm).^[6]
January 17, 1977 – The pressure gradient between a strong ridge over the Mississippi Valley and a Nor'easter over Atlantic Canada send very cold temperatures southward into the state. Areas around Pensacola are the first to receive the snow. By early on January 19, West Palm Beach reports snow for the first time on record, with snow flurries reaching as far south as Homestead. The snow causes little impact as it quickly melts, though the accompanying cold air results in hundreds of millions in damage and several deaths. On January 20, the Miami Herald reports the event as the front page story, with a headline of a size usually reserved for the declaration of war.^[9]
Late January, 1977 – Pensacola receives snowfall.^[9]
March 2, 1980 – A quarter of an inch (6 mm) of snow covers car tops and patio furniture in Jacksonville.^[2]
January 17, 1981 – Unofficial reports indicate snow falls in Fort Lauderdale and Miami.^[5]
March 1, 1986 – 0.5 inches (12 mm) of snow accumulate overnight in Jacksonville before melting within 30 minutes due to the morning sun.^[2]
December 23, 1989 – Light rain in Jacksonville turns to freezing rain as temperatures drop, and later changes to snow. The snow totals several inches in some locations, and results in the first White Christmas in the city's history.^[2]
March 12, 1993 – The '93 Superstorm produces 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm) of snow in northern Florida.^[10]
January 8, 1996 – Snow flurries are reported from Crystal River to New Port Richey with no accumulation.^[11]

[edit] 2000s

Satellite image for January 24, 2003 snowfall

January 24, 2003 – A plume of arctic air produces widespread record low temperatures and light snow flurries along the eastern coastline. The snow is described as ocean effect snow, identical to lake-effect snow in that it occurs due to very cold air passing over relatively warm water temperatures. The snow reaches as far south as Fort Pierce. No accumulation is reported due to rising temperatures throughout the day.^[12]
December 25, 2004 – Locations along the Florida Panhandle receive a dusting of snow.^[13]
November 21, 2006 – An eastward moving weather system produces a very light dusting and snowflakes in central Florida. It is the first snow in November in the state since 1912.^[13]
February 3, 2007 – Very light snow flurries were reported in the panhandle, lasting less than an hour.^[14]