Views of the winter snow, the beach and the ocean — Courtesy: Shutterstock — YAROSLOVE_PHOTO_VIDEO
Palm Beach County will not get a white Christmas this year, as the weather predicts partly sunny mornings followed by generally cloudy skies with highs in the upper 70s.
But it raises the question: Has snow ever fallen in tropical South Florida? People talk about whether or not areas of the country will have a snowy Christmas at this time of year.
Yes, is the answer.
Climate history was created approximately 47 years ago when a polar jet stream turned into a fierce torrent of strong winds that swept south across the warm Gulf of Mexico and into South Florida.
In Palm Beach County, snow fell during the morning of January 19, 1977.
Indeed, The Palm Beach Post covered it, even adorning our masthead with some stylish icicles.
That day’s snowfall was the furthest south snowfall ever recorded in the contiguous United States, reaching as far south as Homestead Air Force Base. According to the Florida Climate Center, it moved west to Freeport on the island of Grand Bahama, marking the only time in the Bahamas’ history that snow was seen there.
The National Weather Service in Miami reported that, prior to January 19, 1977, the furthest south snow had been observed in February 1899 along a line from Fort Myers to Fort Pierce.
Forecasters were not entirely surprised by the snowfall. After a front moved through on January 16 and another two days later, it had been extremely cold for a few days. Meteorologists had warned of slick roadways due to intermittent rain, freeze warnings, and record-low temperatures.
According to Miami’s National Weather Service records, Palm Beach International Airport saw its first snowfall on January 19 around 6:10 a.m.
At the time, Joe Vidulich, a 27-year-old meteorological technician, was assigned to the airport by the federal weather office. Snow was predicted for Central and North Florida, but he didn’t anticipate it would reach Palm Beach County and beyond, he said, working the midnight to 8 a.m. shift on January 19.
“I saw these particles zipping by when I stepped outdoors to observe. “I initially believed they were bugs, but it turned out to be snow,” Vidulich remarked. My boyfriend was dozing off in a chair when I hurried back inside, giddy with excitement. “Wake up, Bernie—it’s snowing,” I said. “You must be intoxicated,” he remarked.
West Palm Beach had its first snowfall when Vidulich sent out a special Teletype message.
According to climate theory, South Florida is not expected to get snowfall. Since Florida’s temperatures are tempered by warm water on three sides, snow is uncommon even in the state’s northernmost regions. The relaxed tropics are a region that is continuously receiving energy from the sun.
However, the conditions for frozen precipitation were met in January 1977. In order to channel arctic air south, the high pressure system close to California pushed a steep ridge into Canada and a deep trough across Florida. Winds high in the troposphere at 5,000 feet were coming from the west, while winds near the surface were coming from the north behind the cold front. The Gulf provided moisture to that westerly wind.
The snow was prevented from melting before it reached the ground because the freezing level in the atmosphere was 1,500 feet above sea level, which is low for South Florida.
Will there be fewer white Christmases as a result of climate change?
According to recent research and reports, the likelihood of seeing snow at Christmas is decreasing as a result of the world warming due to human-caused climate change.
A 2021 report from Climate Central, a nonprofit science and communication organization, stated that “in many parts of the country, it is likely that more winter precipitation will fall as rain rather than snow due to a warmer climate.” “Climate change threatens symbols of the holiday season from Christmas tree growth, winter recreation, and cozy drinks to Arctic wildlife.”
However, the effects extend beyond holiday customs: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, millions of people’s access to water, transportation, travel, and leisure may be impacted by less snowfall and less snow cover on the ground.
Overall, there is less snow.
According to reports, there is less snow overall as the world warms. According to the Rutgers University Global Snow Lab, the average area of North America covered by snow decreased by approximately 1,870 square miles annually between 1972 and 2020. This area is about the size of Delaware.
A white Christmas: what is it?
Snow is not necessary. To meet the weather service’s criteria for a white Christmas, December 25: All that is required is that the ground be covered with at least one inch of snow. Even a small amount of snow is insignificant. Based on 21 years of data collected by NOAA, on average, 38 percent of the contiguous 48 states have an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day.
According to Weather.com, those percentages have changed significantly from year to year since 2003, ranging from just 17.6 percent last year to a staggering 63 percent of the contiguous U.S. in 2009.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
