Looking Back: Blizzard of 1977 in Florida

And the cold it left in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The one and only time it snowed in Miami on January 19, 1977, also brought the coldest stretch for heating in Jacksonville’s history.

Temperature went into a deep freeze across north Florida for several days setting a low of 20 degrees on the 19th.  During a 72 hour period, only 17 of those hours were above the freezing mark during brief times during the afternoon.

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The duration of the strong arctic air that week in 1977 marked the highest home heating energy use in Jacksonville’s history based on the record number of 1433 heating degree days- a record that stands today.

Snow missed Jacksonville however gusty northwest winds of over 30 mph brought in at least a trace of snow across every reporting station in North and Central Florida. Tampa measured 0.20 inches and Plant City, east of Tampa, measured up to 2 inches of the white stuff.

While north Florida was impacted by the storm, the most memorable impact were seen and felt in South Florida. It was also known as the “Cold Wave of January 1977,” and this event brought the first and only known trace of snow in the Miami-area.

West Palm Beach reported its first snowfall in the morning and it reached down to the Ranger station in far southern Dade County, where a trace was measured.

Remarkably the flakes didn’t turn to rain due to the very low freezing levels across the lower tip of the state.

Damage was most significant to agriculture, as major losses occurred to citrus fruits and tender vegetables. Some 35% of citrus crops in were damaged. Statewide, agricultural damage from the cold wave totaled to $350 million, and losses overall totaled to $2 billion.


About the Author:

After covering the weather from every corner of Florida and doing marine research in the Gulf, Mark Collins settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.