“Image Credit: Getty Images Florida, famously known as the Sunshine State, has just experienced an unusual amount of snow across the state. On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the northern part of the state, warning that “all modes of hazardous winter weather, including snow, sleet, and”, — write: hollywoodlife.com
Image Credit: Getty Images Florida, famously known as the Sunshine State, has just experienced an unusual amount of snow across the state.
On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for the northern part of the state, warning that “all modes of hazardous winter weather, including snow, sleet, and freezing rain, are likely.”
Read on to learn more about Florida’s current weather and when the state last saw snowfall.
What’s the Current Weather Across Florida? As of early Wednesday, light snow is still falling across Florida, as well as in Georgia and the coastal Carolinas. While the snow is expected to taper off this morning, rain will persist across Florida.
NEW VIDEO: I’m in Pensacola, Florida, near the border. Already at 2” and it’s still snowing heavy. This is a truly historic event. #Snow #Florida @spann @stormhour pic.twitter.com/K4dIdVzgZt
— Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) January 21, 2025
This historic winter storm, which hit Florida earlier this week, brought snowfall accumulations of up to 8.8 inches in parts of North Florida.
Areas are now on alert for hazardous conditions caused by the snow, such as icy roads. Meteorologists, along with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, are urging people to stay off the roads if possible.
⚠️ Attention North Florida! As winter weather sets in, please prioritize your safety and stay off the roads. Ice can be hard to see, especially at night. Remember, many of us don’t have experience driving in these conditions. Stay safe, stay home! pic.twitter.com/iYjbePNaAT
— FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) January 21, 2025
When Was the Last Time It Snowed in Florida? Believe it or not, the Sunshine State has seen snow in recent years—though not as extensively as today, and only in a few areas. On January 3, 2022, snow flurries were filmed falling in Okaloosa County. The National Weather Service also reported snow accumulation in parts of North Florida and South Georgia on January 3, 2018, marking the region’s first winter storm since 1989. Most snow accumulations in Florida were minimal, with Tallahassee officially recording just 0.1 inches.
Nearly five decades ago, Miami recorded its first—and only—snowfall on January 19, 1977, in South Florida.
“Although snow in Florida is not as rare as it is believed to be, the farthest south snow had been previously observed was along a Fort Myers to Fort Pierce line in February 1899,” NWS said in a report on the 40th Anniversary of Snow in South Florida in 2017.
In a historic weather event, Pensacola has officially broken the state’s 130-year-old snowfall record, with 7.6 inches of snow, surpassing the previous record of 3 inches set in 1895.