Snow in Orlando? Potentially record-setting cold air to dip into Florida this week

ORLANDO, Fla. - A FOX 35 Storm Team alert is active this coming Sunday for potentially record cold.

Forecasters say that conditions are favorable for another winter storm this weekend, one that could track much farther south than usual and deliver some of the coldest air in decades to parts of the Southeast, including Florida.

Some models are showing a surge of potentially record-setting, cold air reaching deep into Florida this weekend. 

Wind chills in single digits and 10s

Forecasters say a significant wind chill event is possible Saturday night into Sunday, with single-digit and teens wind chills potentially extending into Central Florida. This could result in a damaging freeze across large portions of the state.

If the pattern develops as projected, enough cold air and moisture could be present to even produce snowflakes in parts of the Southeast, including Georgia, South Carolina and possibly Florida, though forecasters say the probability of snow or flurries in Florida remains low for now. 

Could it snow in Orlando?

The forecast hinges on whether a storm develops off the East Coast and how strong it becomes. 

A stronger storm would likely pull colder air farther south into Florida and the Southeast, increasing the risk of record temperatures and a greater chance of wintry precipitation. A weaker system, or no storm at all, would still bring unusually cold conditions, though less extreme.

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Any wintry precipitation would likely stay well north of Orlando and closer to the Florida-Georgia state line, according to the latest outlook from the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center.

Record cold for Orlando?

In Orlando, air temperatures have not fallen to 25 degrees or lower since December 2010. Similar readings were recorded in January 2002 and December 1989, with only rare occurrences before then. 

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Forecasters say there is a real possibility temperatures could approach or fall below that 25-degree mark on Sunday morning.

So even though Orlando may not see any snow flurries, the area can expect possible record-setting low temperatures.

Actual air temperatures are expected to run roughly 6 to 11 degrees higher than projected wind chills. So, in a nutshell, Feb. 1 could become a historic date in Orlando, with both morning lows and afternoon highs threatening long-standing records.

The FOX 35 Storm Team will be closely monitoring as confidence in the forecast continues to increase.