The last time snow fell in Miami, Florida, was on January 19, 1977. This single, extraordinary event remains the only instance in recorded history when snowflakes were observed in the air across South Florida’s most populous areas. The occurrence instantly became a legendary moment in local history, surprising a population accustomed to year-round warmth. This unique weather phenomenon required an extremely rare alignment of atmospheric forces to deliver frozen precipitation to a region where average winter temperatures are typically near 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
January 19, 1977: The Day Miami Saw Snow
The event occurred in the early morning hours of January 19, 1977, as a powerful Arctic cold front plunged deep into the Florida peninsula. Residents awoke to find tiny, non-accumulating snowflakes mixing with rain and dusting tropical foliage and windshields across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The flurries were observed as far south as Homestead and even on the sandy shores of Miami Beach.
The precipitation was officially recorded as only a “trace” amount, meaning no measurable accumulation occurred on the ground. By 9:30 a.m., the brief spectacle was completely over, melted by the morning sun. Miami’s afternoon high temperature only reached 47 degrees Fahrenheit that day, the second-coldest afternoon high on record for the city. The extreme cold, which saw temperatures dip into the low 30s, caused devastating agricultural damage across the state, resulting in Governor Reubin Askew declaring a state of emergency.
Historical Precedents of Snowfall
While 1977 was the only time snow was widely observed in Miami, other extreme cold outbreaks have affected South Florida previously. Prior to 1977, the southernmost extent of snow flurries officially recorded in the state was in February 1899. That earlier event saw frozen precipitation observed only as far south as a line running between Fort Myers and Fort Pierce, stopping well short of the Miami metropolitan area.
The February 1899 cold wave remains notable for delivering Miami’s lowest daily maximum temperature on record, a frigid 32 degrees Fahrenheit. While that cold snap was intense enough to bring temperatures to freezing at the surface, it did not coincide with the necessary moisture and upper-air dynamics to produce snow flurries over the city itself. These instances demonstrate that while deep cold has occurred, the specific atmospheric ingredients for snowfall had never before aligned over Miami.
The Rare Meteorological Alignment Required
Snowfall in Miami requires a precise and unusual combination of meteorological factors that seldom occur simultaneously. The primary requirement is the penetration of an exceptionally deep Arctic air mass, which must push the polar jet stream far south into the Gulf of Mexico. This air mass must be cold enough to sustain freezing temperatures from the cloud level all the way down to the surface.
A second factor is the introduction of sufficient low-level moisture to form precipitation exactly when the frigid air is in place. The 1977 flurries occurred because rain-forming clouds coincided with the arrival of the coldest air, allowing the precipitation to freeze and reach the ground before melting. This is difficult because the proximity of the warm Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream moderates coastal temperatures. For snow to form, a potent cold front must deliver air that is not only cold but also has a very dry trajectory until it meets a narrow band of moisture.