Florida prepares snowplows with possible snow, freezing rain in forecast

Snowplows and other cold-weather equipment are being readied in Florida ahead of a rare freeze expected next week, according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

The department released photos of the preparations, an unusual sight for the Sunshine State. While snow is exceedingly rare in Brevard, Volusia, and Osceola counties, areas farther north, such as Lake County, have seen snow on occasion over the past century.

Snowplows and other cold-weather equipment are being readied in Florida ahead of a rare freeze expected next week, according to the Florida Department of Transportation, Jan, 17, 2025.

Will it snow in Florida next week?

We know it can snow and has snowed in the Sunshine State, but most of that frozen precipitation stays north of the Interstate 10 corridor. There have been occurrences of snow as far south as Miami, but the accumulation was negligible. 

In the 1980s and 1990s, several storms brought an inch or two of snow to areas like Ocala and The Villages. Orlando International Airport last recorded snow flurries in 2016, but only a few flakes fell. 

The potential freeze that arrives next week could bring significant ice — and yes, snow — but where the line delineating snow from freezing rain settles is unclear.

What we know:

There's going to be an area of low pressure that comes out of the Gulf of Mexico and tracks across Florida early next week.

With Arctic air coming down from the north, there will likely be frozen precipitation from Tuesday night into Wednesday in the Panhandle and North Florida. 

The Arctic air arrives Sunday night in Florida, with rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow arriving in the state by Tuesday night. Freezing rain is possible in the Ocala and Gainesville areas.

Rain is just liquid rain falling into the atmosphere from clouds. With freezing rain, liquid rain is falling and when it hits the ground, the temperature right near the ground is below freezing, so it freezes instantly. Mailboxes, trees, the sidewalk, your deck, and the lanai area are all coated in ice. 

What we don't know:

"There is still some discrepancy in the positioning of this ice storm for North Central Florida," said FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Noah Bergren. "I think the snowstorm aspect will stay to our north."

The Global Forecast System (GFS) and European models differ as to what will be snow and what will be freezing rain.

"My personal opinion is that the European model is probably more realistic here because the Euro handles Arctic air a lot better. I don't think the American model is quite grasping how cold it's going to be. Historically, this model performs a lot better in this type of setup, which means ice a lot further south," Bergren explained.

Right now, Orlando specifically is likely to see just cold rain. Currently, draw a line from Marion County to Flagler County and that is where the transition from rain to ice could be overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. 

We will find out much more in the coming days.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the National Weather Service (NWS), and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). 

 

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