Sunny Florida is experiencing an uncharacteristic deep freeze, with parts of the state recording their coldest temperatures this winter and prompting emergency measures to protect vulnerable residents and agriculture.
Record Lows and Emergency Shelters Activated
Warming shelters for homeless people have opened across the state as a severe cold snap grips the region. On Friday, 16 January 2026, the mercury plunged to a bitter 19 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 7.2 Celsius) overnight at Tallahassee International Airport. This marked the chilliest weather the Sunshine State has endured in more than three years.
Meteorologist Mark Wool of the National Weather Service in Tallahassee confirmed the severity, noting it felt more like Green Bay, Wisconsin. However, he stated it stopped short of the century-old record low of 16 F (minus 8.9 C). "It's cold, but it's not all that unusual to have cold weather this time of the year," Wool commented on Friday.
Snow Forecast and Widespread Disruption
The un-Floridian conditions are set to continue, with a surprising chance of snow predicted for the Panhandle region early on Sunday. The National Weather Service estimates a 20% to 30% probability, with accumulations of less than an inch (3.5 cm) expected in the western areas.
"The reasonably worst-case scenario is an inch since the window is only two or three hours," Wool said of Sunday's forecast. "But all of that will melt away when it warms up." He added that the brief duration and subsequent temperature rise should minimise travel disruption, making it a far cry from the 5 inches that blanketed Pensacola almost exactly a year ago.
The cold has caused significant disruptions in central Florida. In Orlando, temperatures dropped to freezing overnight, leading to the closure of water parks like Walt Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon on Friday. Disney confirmed the park would also remain closed at the start of the following week due to the continuing frigid forecast.
Farmers Battle to Protect Crops from Frost
Agricultural communities are taking drastic action to safeguard their livelihoods. In Plant City, renowned as the winter strawberry capital of the world, growers deployed sprinklers to spray crops with water as overnight lows hit 28 F (minus 2.2 C). This technique forms a protective layer of ice that insulates the plants, preventing their internal temperature from falling below freezing.
While a slight warming was expected on Saturday, temperatures were forecast to dip again at the start of the new week, prolonging the unusual winter conditions for residents and visitors who had bundled up against the unexpected chill.
