Forecasters said you might wake up to frozen iguanas. Here’s how cold it got in Florida
What does a cold morning in Florida look like?
People snapping selfies of their almost non-existent winter clothing, long lines at Starbucks, and tweets about how awesome (or how horrible) it is waking up to nearly freezing temperatures.
Yes, it dipped into the 30s and 40s across Miami-Dade and Broward County Wednesday morning.
Opa-locka and Miami woke up to a chilly 40 degrees and Tamiami-Kendall the upper-30s, according to forecasters. Fort Lauderdale and its surrounding areas were in the low-40s.
“These are the coldest lows we have seen in years!” said Lissette Gonzalez, meteorologist for Miami Herald news partner CBS4.
Miami was even colder than Seattle’s 44 degrees around 8 a.m., according to Vivian Gonzalez, WSVN’s meteorologist.
It also felt like it was a lot colder — like in the mid-20s to mid-30s — because of a gusty wind, according to the National Weather Service.
But, as usual, South Florida is one of the warmer spots in Florida. Those in Bradenton and Orlando woke up to temperatures in the mid- to high-30s, while Tallahassee, the state capital, is around 30.
Similarly, the gusty wind made temperatures feel like they’ve dropped as low as 21 degrees in Central Florida. Tallahassee felt even colder — like 19 degrees.
A wind advisory was in effect for most if not all of Florida Wednesday. South Florida’s wind advisory ended at 9 a.m. but other areas around the state saw an extended advisory that ended later in the day.
One of the exceptions is the Keys. South Florida’s favorite staycation area felt the upper-40s and low-50s early Wednesday, making it “the coldest morning” area has since in five years, according to the National Weather Service in the Keys.
While the Keys can expect to have a breezy day, there’s no wind advisory in effect.
In the Keys, temperatures will only warm up to the low-60s. Miami-Dade and Broward are forecast to have a high of around 65.
For those in the Bradenton, Tampa or Orlando area, expect highs around 60. Those in Tallahassee will see highs in the mid-50s.
How cold did it get overnight?
Here’s what the National Weather Service said Wednesday morning:
Miami-Dade had temperatures in the mid-30s and 40s on the coast. Some of the coldest areas were:
▪ Hialeah — 35
Cutler Ridge - 36
▪ Aventura — 37
▪ Homestead, Opa-locka and Miami Beach— 39
Broward County had temperatures in the low-30s across the interior with those living on the coast experiencing slightly warmer temperatures in the lower 40s. Some of the coldest areas were:
Some parts of Weston — 33 to 34 degrees
Coral Springs — 34
Hallandale Beach and Miramar — 37
Areas near Sunrise — 38
Cooper City and some areas of Fort Lauderdale — 38 to 39 degrees.
Other parts of Florida
Bradenton had overnight temperatures in the mid- to lower-40s. By 7 a.m. Wednesday, the temperatures had dropped into the upper 30s, according to the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay.
Central Florida had overnight lows in the mid-30s, with the wind making it feel like it was in the low- to mid-20s in some areas, according to ClickOrlando.com
Tampa area had lows in the upper-30s while those around Tallahassee felt temperatures in the lower-30s, according to the Weather Network.
Sounds pretty cold to us.
Now, the real question is ... Has anyone found a frozen iguana?
This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 8:02 AM.
