List of snow events in Florida

DateFormat=yyyyImageSize=width:350 height:auto barincrement:35Period = from:0 till:20TimeAxis = orientation:horizontalPlotArea = right:10 left:5 bottom:50 top:5

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bar:Nov from:0 till:2 color:cat5red text:"November" bar:Dec from:0 till:7 color:cat5red text:"December" bar:Jan from:0 till:15 color:cat5red text:"January" bar:Feb from:0 till:11 color:cat5red text:"February" bar:Mar from:0 till:4 color:cat5red text:"March" bar:Apr from:0 till:1 color:cat5red text:"April"

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TextData = fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(100,25) # tabs:(100-left) text:"Total snow events in Florida 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 of or less than 45°F (7°C), a cloudless sky, and a relative humidity of 65% or more.cite web|author=T. Frederick Davis|year=1908|title=Climatology of Jacksonville, Fla. and Vicinity|publisher=U.S. Weather Bureau|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/035/mwr-035-12-0566.pdf] 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.cite news|author=George Winterling|date=2003-12-04|title=Snow on the First Coast|publisher=News4JAX.com|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.news4jax.com/weather/2683348/detail.html] Most of the state is in a rare portion of the continental United States that receives a mean maximum monthly snowfall amount of zero, the only other such areas being southern Texas and California.cite web|author=A Climatology of Mean Monthly Snowfall for the Conterminous United States:Temporal and Spatial Patterns|year=1987|title=John Harrington, Randall Cerveny, and Kenneth Dewey|publisher=University of Nebraska Department of Geography|accessdate=2007-01-30|url=http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0450/26/8/pdf/i1520-0450-26-8-897.pdf] Much of the information prior to 1900 is from weather climatology provided by the Jacksonville National Weather Service; information for other locations is sparse.

Events

Pre-1900

*1774: A snowstorm extends across much of the state. The affected residents speak of it as an "extraordinary white rain."
*1797: Land surveyor Andrew Ellicott reports 8-inch (203mm) snowdrifts near the source of the St. Marys River in Baker County.cite web|author=Carl Mobley|year=1999|title=500 Years of Baker County|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.rootsweb.com/~flbaker/500yr.html]
*January 11, 1800: Over 5 inches (127mm) of snow is on the ground along the St. Marys River to the north of Jacksonville, the highest recorded snowfall total in Florida history.
*January 13, 1852: Several hours of snow accumulates to a total of 0.5 inch (13mm) in Jacksonville.
*February 28, 1855: Light snow flurries are reported in Jacksonville.
*January 29, 1868: Light sleet falls throughout the night in northeastern Florida.
*February 28, 1869: During the morning hours, some snow flurries are reported in Jacksonville.
*January 10, 1873: At 7:25 a.m., a few snowflakes fall near Jacksonville.
*February 4 & 5, 1875: Light sleet occurs between midnight and sunrise on both dates.
*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 of many orange trees.
*January 5, 1887: An inch (25mm) of snow falls at Pensacola.Cite web|author=Flahistory.net|title="Today in Florida History" for January|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.flahistory.net/January.htm]
*January 14, 1892: 0.4 inch (10mm) of snow is reported at Pensacola.
*February 14, 1892: Pensacola reports 3 inches (76mm) of snow.Cite web|author=Flahistory.net|title="Today in Florida History" for February|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.flahistory.net/February.htm]
*December 27, 1892: Light snow falls in various intervals in the northeastern portion of the state.
*January 18, 1893: Falling sleet turns to snow before later changing to rain in Jacksonville.
*February 14, 1895: Two short durations of light snow are reported in Jacksonville.
*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 (51mm) near Jacksonville and 4 inches (102mm) at Lake Butler. In some locations, the snow remains on the ground for several days.

20th century

*December 16, 1901: Light snow is reported in Jacksonville.
*February 7, 1907: Downtown Jacksonville receives light snow flurries in the early afternoon.
*November 27, 1912: An overnight period of snow covers the ground and trees with a 0.5-inch (13mm) layer in northern Florida.cite web|author=Keith C. Heidorn|year=2006|title=Significant Weather Events in November in the United States|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/diarynov.htm]
*January 22, 1935: Snow falls until the next morning, with Pensacola recording 1 inch (25mm).
*February 2, 1951: Snowfall begins and ends the following day, accumulating to about 2 inches (51mm) in Saint Augustine and Crescent City.
*December 14, 1952: Sleet and snow falls across the northern portion of the state, though there is very little accumulation.cite web|author=Joe Disco|year=2003|title=December 12 Time Capsule|accessdate=2007-04-09|url=http://www.joesdiscoweathercentral.com/time/dec1203.htm]
*December 14, 1953: Light sleet occurs in the morning in Marianna.
*March 28, 1955: Snowfall accumulates to about an inch in Marianna along the Florida Panhandle.Cite web|author=Flahistory.net|title="Today in Florida History" for March|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.flahistory.net/March.htm]
*February 13, 1958: An overnight rainfall changes to snowfall in Jacksonville and accumulates to about 1.5 inches (38mm). Additionally, Tallahassee reports a record 2.8 inches (71mm).
*February 9, 1973: Snow falls over the northern portion of the state, including a total of two inches (51mm) in Pensacola, with unofficial reports of up to 8 inches (203mm).
*January 17, 1977: The pressure gradient between a strong ridge over the Mississippi Valley and a Nor'easter over Atlantic Canada sends 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 of dollars 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.Cite web|author=Keith C. Heidorn|year=2002|title=Miami's First Snowfall|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.islandnet.com/%7Esee/weather/almanac/arc2002/alm02jan.htm]
*Late January, 1977: Pensacola receives snowfall.
*March 2, 1980: A quarter of an inch (6mm) of snow covers car tops and patio furniture in Jacksonville.
*January 17, 1981: Unofficial reports indicate snowfalls in Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
*March 1, 1986: 0.5 inch (13mm) of snow accumulates overnight in Jacksonville before melting within 30 minutes due to the morning sun.
*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.
*March 12, 1993: The '93 Superstorm produces up to 4 inches (102mm) of snow along the Florida Panhandle. [cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|year=1993|title=Event Report for the '93 Superstorm|accessdate=2008-02-28|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~194933]
*January 8, 1996: Snow flurries are reported from Crystal River to New Port Richey with no accumulation.cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|year=1996|title=Event Report for Hernando, Levy, and Pasco counties|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~258402]
*December 18, 1996: A plume of cold air causes snow to form in the northwestern portion of Escambia County.cite web|author=Jeffrey M. Medlin|year=2005|title=Evolution of a Central Gulf Coast Heavy Snowband - December 18, 1996|publisher=Mobile, Alabama National Weather Service|accessdate=2007-04-09|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mob/121896Snow/18Dec96main.html]

21st century

*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.cite web|author=Melbourne, Florida National Weather Service|year=2003|title=Cold Temperatures and Snow Flurries in East-Central Florida|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/surveys/012403/flurries.html]
*December 25, 2004: Locations along the Florida Panhandle receive a dusting of snow.cite news|author=Associated Press|date=2006-11-26|title=Snow falls in central Florida as state endures unusual Nov. cold snap|accessdate=2007-01-22|url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2006-11-21-florida-cold_x.htm]
*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.
*February 3, 2007: Very light snow flurries are reported in the panhandle, lasting less than an hour.cite news|author=WJHG-TV|date=2007-02-03|title=Snow Flurries in Florida|accessdate=2007-02-16|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16964360/]
*April 8, 2007: Portions of the western Florida Panhandle receive brief durations of sleet.cite news|author=Alabama Press Register|year=2007|title=Don't worry; no April sleet today|accessdate=2007-04-09|url=http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/1176110471238630.xml&coll=3]
*January 3, 2008: Light snow flurries are reported near Daytona Beach.cite web|author=CNN|title=Snow Flurries in Florida|year=2007|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2008-01-03|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/01/03/winter.storm.ap/index.html]

ee also

*Climate of Florida

References