Florida Map Shows Counties Set to Freeze When Polar Vortex Hits

Northern Florida and the Panhandle appear set for freezing temperatures in January, as a polar vortex is forecast to push frigid winds across the country.

Why It Matters

As one of the most populous states in the U.S. and a favored winter destination for those looking to escape the northern cold, this news is unlikely to be well received in the Sunshine State.

Winter weather, including ice and snow, can severely affect travel safety and disrupt daily activities, often leading to school closures.

Vulnerable groups, such as young infants and senior citizens, are among those particularly at risk from the health hazards posed by freezing temperatures.

What To Know

According to a forecast map by Pivotal Weather, based on data from the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts and visualized below by Newsweek, most of Florida’s northern and northwestern counties will see temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the first week of January.

In Santa Rosa County, for example, wind chills as cold as 22 degrees were forecast.

Nearby Okaloosa and Walton counties would fare similarly, the data showed.

Holmes and Jackson counties were both forecast for 23 degrees. Bay, Calhoun, and Liberty counties were forecast for 25.

Moving southward, temperatures improve, though only marginally, with counties like Gilchrist, Alachua, and Bradford just breaking into the low 30s.

Pivotal Weather said the map was valid until January 7, although forecasts are often updated.

The Arctic polar vortex is a strong band of west-to-east winds that form in the stratosphere during winter, approximately 10 to 30 miles above the North Pole.

In the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, the polar vortex often expands, driving cold air southward alongside the jet stream, according to the agency.

The National Weather Service (NWS) previously forecast a high likelihood of the Sunshine State seeing below-average temperatures this January.

What People Are Saying

Meteorologist John Brown wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: “Artic air could bring Florida the coldest weather of the year, lows may reach freezing levels.”

AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick told Newsweek: “Cold temperatures are likely to have the greatest impact in northern parts of the state and across the interior. Actual temperatures can drop below freezing at night in the north and it’s possible the interior of central Florida also dips below the freezing mark.”

What Happens Next

Forecast models have predicted that cold air will spread across the U.S. from early to mid-January.

The NWS urges the public to monitor their local forecast at weather.gov to ensure they are dressed appropriately for the weather. While the agency stressed that there was no reason for alarm about the polar vortex, it advised staying prepared for colder conditions.

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