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A few frosty flakes fall
Snowbirds out late Tuesday may have been flustered to see the stuff they try to escape.
Willoughby Mariano
Sentinel Staff Writer

November 22, 2006, 8:15 AM EST

Northerners coming here to escape cold weather got a surprise instead late Tuesday: snow in Central Florida.

Yes, we said snow.

The National Weather Service confirmed that flakes -- albeit mixed with rain -- were in the skies over Central Florida. Reports of flurries began drifting in from northern parts of the area at about 9 p.m., weather-service meteorologist John Pendergrast said.

Observers in Deltona, Ponce Inlet, Ocoee, Lake Mary and Orlando spotted the wet flakes. It wasn't enough to make snow angels, or even call for a shovel, but it was snow.

"It's just cold enough in the lower levels of the atmosphere" to keep the flakes from melting, Pendergrast said.

The last time the region saw snow was in 2003, when flakes fell over Brevard and Volusia counties.

Tuesday night's snow fell as temperatures dipped to the low 40s, Pendergrast said. Overnight temperatures were expected to fall to the 30s.

Snow falls regularly in the chilly atmosphere high above Orlando but almost always melts as it hits warmer air near the ground, Pendergrast said.

Weather officials had issued an overnight wind-chill advisory.

Wind chills may drop into the 20s in parts of north Florida and high temperatures may only reach the 60s as far south as the Keys today, state meteorologist Ben Nelson said.

Miami wasn't expected to even hit 70 today, and low temperatures were expected to dive into the mid-40s.

A developing storm out at sea off of Florida's east coast is driving cold air southward into the state, which resulted in freeze watches for several locations in the Panhandle earlier this week. Residents were being reminded to protect themselves, their plants, their pets and their pipes.

The cold weather is expected to last through Thanksgiving, but by the end of the week warmer temperatures were forecast to return. By Sunday, the high in Miami is expected to be 81.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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