How Cold Does it Get in Florida? Visitor’s Guide
Are you planning a trip to Florida and wondering how cold it gets there?
The answer is that temperatures in the Sunshine State (Florida’s nickname) can vary widely depending on where you are and when.
Generally speaking, though, Floridians enjoy mild winters with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. So while Florida does experience a few cold days each year, overall, its climate is quite mild compared to much of the rest of America.
If you’re planning a trip to Florida and wondering how cold does it get in Florida, keep reading for more information on winter in Florida and the temperatures to expect.
So How Cold Does it Get in Florida?
Florida is actually a rather large state – pull up Google Maps on your phone, we’re not joking. The distance from the top to the bottom of the state is about 500 miles. As there’s such a wide gap in distance, you can imagine there is a wide gap in temperature as well.
Colder temperatures can range from 45 degrees Fahrenheit in Pensacola to 63 degrees Fahrenheit in Miami. That’s a pretty steep gap at almost a 20-degree difference.
For those not familiar, Florida is broken up into several different areas, including the Panhandle, Central Florida, Northern Florida, and Southern Florida.
All of these regions generally experience varying levels of what is considered chilly throughout the winter months of Florida. Coastal areas also tend to be slightly warmer than inland cities, as the ocean helps keep temperatures more moderate.
How Cold Does it Get in North Florida?
In North Florida, you can expect winter temperatures to range from the mid-40s to mid-50s. This Northern Florida area is made up of two regions: the Panhandle, home to cities like Destin, Pensacola and Panama City, and the North Florida region, which includes Jacksonville, St. Augustine and many other cities.
January, on average, tends to bring the coldest months to the Northern part of Florida. This is also generally considered the coldest area of the state.
How Cold Does it Get in Central Florida?
Central Florida enjoys a more temperate winter climate, with temperatures generally staying in the lower 50s to mid-60s. December and January are the coldest months, but you won’t experience nearly as much of a chill compared to North Florida.
One of the more popular cities in Central Florida is Orlando. You might even be looking at this city yourself. So how cold does Orlando, Florida get in the winter? You can generally expect low to mid-50s in the winter, but there are also times where temperatures are in the low 70s!
If you’re looking for warmer winter temperatures and plenty of sunshine, Central Florida may be just the place for you!
How Cold Does it Get in South Florida?
Finally, last but not least, South Florida. How cold does this area of Florida actually get? We hear tons of visitors want to flock to Miami or Key West to escape brutal winters in other areas of the country. And rightfully so.
In the winter, you can expect South Florida to have average temperatures of low and mid-60s. But, on the flip side, those same temperatures might get up to the mid or upper-70s. I guess it’s truly up to chance – you might hit some lower temperatures or some pretty stellar temperatures in Florida’s wintertime here.
When does it get cold in Miami? Generally speaking, it gets colder starting in December through March. Of course, this can vary by year or month, but that’s on average.
When Does it Get Cold in Florida?
So when does it actually get cold in Florida? Winter temperatures in Florida (which aren’t necessarily “freezing”) generally start in the month of December and may last until late February or sometimes March.
During this timeframe, temperatures can dip into the low 40s in the panhandle and northern parts of the state, while the southern regions usually don’t get much lower than the high to mid-50s.
However, it’s not uncommon for parts of the state to experience temperatures in the 30s, even on a few occasions during the winter months. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Florida was in Tallahassee, where it dropped to a low of -2°F in February 1899.
Florida Temperature by Month
Winter in Florida is usually mild compared to other states, but how cold does it get? On average, temperatures typically range pretty drastically, especially by the area in Florida.
We’ll use averages of the major cities in each region as the basis for the low to high numbers in Florida, but just know that these are ranges for ALL of Florida, not just one region in particular. All temperatures are listed in Fahrenheit.
- January – 45 to 75 degrees
- February – 48 to 77 degrees
- March – 54 to 79 degrees
- April – 59 to 82 degrees
- May – 66 to 85 degrees
- June – 72 to 90 degrees
- July – 74 to 90 degrees
- August – 75 to 90 degrees
- September – 71 to 89 degrees
- October – 62 to 85 degrees
- November – 53 to 80 degrees
- December – 48 to 77 degrees
There are definitely some pretty wide gaps there! I mean, look at March, where the temperature averages can range from somewhere around 54 degrees in the Northern parts of Florida to 79 degrees in the southern parts of Florida.
Where is the Coldest Place in Florida?
Okay, so what is the coldest city in Florida? Well, ironically enough, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Florida was -2 degrees Fahrenheit in Tallahassee back in February 1899. While that record still stands today, it’s not a typical winter day for Floridians!
The coldest cities are mostly located in the Panhandle region of Florida, but there’s also one here located inland in North Florida. These chilly cities include Niceville, Jasper, and Crestview.
We’ll let you decide if these cities are the ones you want to visit in the Winter.
Does it Snow in Florida?
It may come as a surprise to some, but it does, in fact, snow in Florida. While it’s rare and typically only happens once every few (or so) years, the temperatures can get low enough for light snow flurries to happen here and there. January and February are generally the months where there is likely to be snowfall in Florida.
Generally, snow isn’t normal for the central and southern regions of Florida. It’s reserved mostly for the Northern parts of the state.
A lot of people talk about the great snowfall of 1977. That year a storm came through and dumped snow across many parts of the state, including central and southern Florida! Of course, this phenomenon is rare, so we wouldn’t expect that to happen often, or really ever.
FAQ on Winter in Florida
There are a few other questions that are generally asked about winter temperatures in Florida. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to questions about how cold it gets in Florida.
The coldest month is typically January. Temperatures range from 45 to 75 degrees, depending on where you are in the state.
Winter in Florida is generally mild. Even on the coldest days, you can expect temperatures to stay relatively warm and rarely go below freezing.
Florida does have four seasons, but they look a lot different than other areas. An example being that the winter is generally a mild season and doesn’t necessarily bring extremely cold temperatures as you would find in other parts of the country.
The northern part of Florida is typically colder than the southern half. This is because the panhandle region of the state, which includes cities like Niceville and Crestview.
The best time to visit Florida is typically April through May or September through October. This is when the temperatures are less extreme.
February is typically one of the coldest months in Florida. Expect temperatures to range from 48 to 77 degrees, depending on where you are in the state.
January is typically one of the coldest months, with temperatures ranging from 45 to 75 degrees. Depending on how far north you are in Florida, it could get even colder than that!
December is one of the coldest months in Florida, with temperatures ranging from 48 to 77 degrees.
You could theoretically swim in the ocean (Gulf side) in February, but temperatures might be colder, ranging from 60 to 70 degrees.
Wrap-Up: How Cold Does it get in Florida?
It’s clear that how cold it gets in Florida varies drastically depending on where you are in the state. Generally, temperatures tend to be milder in the central and southern regions of Florida, while colder weather is more common up north.
Winter temperatures vary from the mid-40s to the upper 70s, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag depending on when and where you visit.
So while it can get quite chilly in Florida during the winter, it’s nothing compared to other parts of the US. And because of that, it makes a great winter vacation destination for those experiencing far more extreme temperatures in other parts of the country.
Have you visited Florida in the winter? What’s the coldest you experienced it getting and where were you?
