Luckily, Florida seemed to miss most of the freezing weather from Winter Storm Fern this past weekend. But unfortunately, there’s more cold weather moving in this week, and FL doesn’t look like it’s going to get as lucky this time around. A massive arctic airmass is moving through the U.S. again, possibly bringing record low temperatures to South Florida. Keep scrolling to see what we know so far.
How cold is it going to get in South Florida?
Local reports show that Miami could hit around 53 degrees on Wednesday night, with highs in the upper 60s. Some local weather models showed the city hitting a wind chill of 27 degrees later this week.
The Miami Herald reports,
Wind chills in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale areas will be in the mid- and upper-40s — about 44 around 5 a.m. Tuesday and even colder Thursday morning, around 36, according to the weather service’s hourly forecast.
And it might get even colder. A report by NBC Miami states:
Miami last dropped to 36°F on December 14, 2010, with Fort Lauderdale reaching 34°F that same day. Current projections for early February are approaching those levels, underscoring how unusual this cold spell could be… South Florida is heading into a period of notable change: colder nights beginning tonight, reinforcing cold fronts through midweek, and the potential for a deeper Arctic blast next weekend that could bring some of the coldest temperatures seen in Miami and Fort Lauderdale in more than 15 years.
The Weather Channel reports lows of 37 degrees and 39 degrees for Miami on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
The coldest temperature on record in Miami is a tie between January 28, 1940 and February 6, 1947, with both hitting record low 28°F.
What is a Freeze Warning / Cold Weather Advisory?
Many Florida counties are either under a Freeze Warning or a Cold Weather Advisory… but what does that mean?
According to the National Weather Service, a ‘Freeze Warning’ “is issued when temperatures are forecasted to go below 32°F for a long period of time. This temperature threshold kills some types of commercial crops and residential plants, while temperatures below 28°F for an extended period of time can kill most types of commercial crops and residential plants.”
A ‘Cold Weather Advisory’, on the other hand, is more of an alert to be cautious: dangerously cold conditions might occur, so make sure you’re dressed warmly for the weather, you are covering exposed skin, and aren’t spending excess time outdoors in the elements.
Is Miami under a freeze warning or cold weather advisory?
Miami is not currently under a freeze warning or cold weather advisory. Actual temperatures do not appear that they will sink below freezing for an extended period of time.
Stay safe and warm, Miami!