This date has legendary status. Even though it was more than 4 decades ago, those who were in south Florida (or had relatives here at the time) remember the one and only day that it snowed, this far south! The year was 1977 and the winter ingredients came together for an ultra-rare sight. Snow flurries were reported in both Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Even Homestead, saw some flakes!
All of these years later, we haven’t had a so-called “snowy sequel” although many youngsters have been known to dream about such an event! On the radar, we are seeing some areas of rain as we get deeper into this holiday weekend.
The weather map shows a strong cold front on the approach. It’s set to cross all of Florida through Sunday morning. Behind the front, there’s especially chilly air (by south Florida standards). The colder air will settle-in late Sunday night through Monday morning (MLK Day).
How chilly? Widespread 40’s are expected, across all of south Florida except the Keys. That level is as significantly cold as it’s been all season, to this point!
The holiday forecast, on Monday, will include the peak of the colder times. After the brisk morning, daytime highs will be sluggish to even reach 70-degrees. To put that in perspective, an “average” high for us this time of year is 76-degrees. Also, a gusty breeze will be added to the mix so keep the jackets handy throughout the day.
Cold snaps typically last a couple days and nights for south Florida in the wintertime. However, this one will be particularly fast. The reason? High pressure to our north will swiftly push into the Atlantic. Once that happens, we’ll return to an onshore flow. That will shut-out the cold air and allowing for moderating temperatures. It’s also worth noting that wind speeds are likely to stay strong. This forecast map also shows the potential for rain to return to the area. It’s likely that brief showers will sweep in, along the breeze, through the middle of the week.
