44 Years Ago Snow Fell In South Florida
Southwest Florida woke up to a chilly morning but it’s nowhere as cold as it was 44 years ago — the first time it snowed in the sunshine state.
It was January 19th, 1977 when snow flurries fell across Broward and Miami-Dade counties between 8 and 9:30 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
It was the first time snow had fallen in South Florida in recorded history.
The National Weather Service in Miami reported:
“Residents and visitors were both surprised and thrilled at the rare phenomena, and local newspapers ran headlines which were nearly as big as it would be for major national or world events. Snow was seen across all of Southeast Florida as far south as Homestead and even on Miami Beach. Snow was officially reported by weather observers in West Palm Beach, LaBelle, Hollywood, and Royal Palm Ranger Station in deep South Miami-Dade County.”
People are taking to social media to share photos of that exciting day:
This is snow joke! ⛄ Once upon a time in 1977, snow fell in Miami! Where were you when it happened? #OnThisDay
— HistoryMiami Museum (@HistoryMiami) January 19, 2021
📸: The front page of the Miami Herald in January 1977 noting the historic weather day, via @MiamiHerald pic.twitter.com/8ycuURZSiV
44 years ago today, what seemed like the impossible happened...
— Jason Dunning (@JasonDunning) January 19, 2021
❄️ Snow in south Florida! ⛄️
Snow flurries were reported in Miami, Homestead and up the coast to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Tampa even recorded a dusting of snow, but none of the white stuff in #swfl pic.twitter.com/2XYH8wWeee
From Jan. 18-20, 1977, Florida was frosted by a historic Arctic blast that pushed snowflakes as far south as Miami Beach. https://t.co/wvvtu3602H
— Naples Daily News (@ndn) January 18, 2021
TAMPA SNOW! 44 years ago TODAY, 0.2" of snow coated the Tampa Bay area. This event also brought snow to Miami and the Bahamas. Truly a lifetime event. https://t.co/PYJLshR6Rt #flwx #10Weather pic.twitter.com/8SNj486mtc
— Meteorologist Grant Gilmore (@GrantGilmoreWX) January 19, 2021