Dear Florida Climate Center Friends, | |
We'd like to present you with the Spring 2025 edition of our quarterly newsletter. This winter brought large swings in temperatures and an historic Gulf Coast winter storm that resulted in record-setting snowfall in the Florida Panhandle. Late winter to early spring is typically the driest time of year for much of the state, and ongoing rainfall deficits could lead to elevated wildfire risk this spring. This issue delves into each of these and, as usual, provides the most recent monthly climate summaries for the past three full months, the latest on the status of La Niña, and the spring outlook. We also share some of the recent events and activities we've been engaged in. If you have any questions, please send us an e-mail at climate@coaps.fsu.edu, and thanks for reading!
Thanks,
The Staff of the Florida Climate Center
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Monthly Climate Summaries for Florida | |
The Florida Climate Center's December, January, and February Climate Summaries for Florida are available, as well as previous monthly summaries. These summaries provide an analysis of temperature and precipitation patterns across the state, along with data on hazardous weather, drought, and daily records tied or broken each month.
Average monthly temperatures were near normal in December. The average monthly temperature departures from normal ranged from -1.3 ̊F in Key West to +1.2 ̊F in Tallahassee.Freezing temperatures affected the northern part of the state during the first week of the month, but temperatures returned to above normal by the end of the month. Statewide, December 2024 was the 48th-warmest December on record (130 years).
Average temperatures in January were below normal for the month across Florida. The average monthly temperature departures from normal ranged from -6.1 ̊F in Gainesville to -1.9 ̊F in Miami.A cold Arctic outbreak during the month affected locations as far south as Naples in southwestern Florida. Many new daily low maximum temperature records were set during the month, and January 2025 ranked as the 16th-coldest January on record in Florida.
Average monthly temperatures in February returned to above normal. Monthly mean temperature departures from normal ranged from +2.7 ̊F in Key West to +5.5 ̊F in Tallahassee. The first half of the month from February 1-14 was record warm for many locations, including Tallahassee, Gainesville, Orlando, Melbourne, Sarasota, Fort Myers, and Miami. Many stations across the state recorded one of their top 10 warmest months of February on record.
The figures below are graphical depictions of the monthly rainfall departure from normal (in inches) for December, January, and February (courtesy of the National Weather Service), as well as the 3-month seasonal rainfall departure from normal map (courtesy of the High Plains Regional Climate Center).
*Click on a map below to view a larger image.
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Historic Gulf Coast Snow Storm, January 21-22, 2025 | |
On January 21-22, a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain fell across the Florida Panhandle and northern Florida, closing schools and roadways for multiple days and even shutting down a section of I-10. The highest snow accumulations reported in Florida were between 9” and 10” in Escambia and Sata Rosa Counties, and snow was reported all the way to the coast from Pensacola to Panama City. Among the highest snowfall measurements came from a volunteer observer in the CoCoRaHS network - Molino 7.3 NW (FL-ES-74) in Escambia County with 10.0" of snow. Further east, locations near Tallahassee received a mix of sleet and snow, while coastal locations further east, like Apalachicola, saw freezing rain. Trace amounts were reported in Northeast Florida. A map of 24-hour snowfall totals from NOAA is below. | |
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Many new station snowfall records were likely set during this event. Pensacola recorded its highest snowfall with 8.9 inches, far surpassing its previous record of 2.3 inches in March 1954. A total of 9.8 inches was measured in Milton, which currently holds the state snowfall record of 4.0" set on March 6, 1954. Tallahassee's 1.9-inch total was 2nd-highest on record there, behind 2.8 inches recorded back in February 1958. A new state snowfall record will likely be established once data are confirmed. | |
Total 24-hour snowfall totals across the U.S. Gulf Coast from January 20-22, 2025 (source: NOAA climate.gov). | |
Snow and ice covering I-10 in the Florida Panhandle on January 22, 2025 (credit: FDOT). | |
La Niña conditions continue in the tropical equatorial Pacific Ocean. Sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific Ocean continued to be below average over the past month. The latest weekly indices were -0.6°C in Niño-3.4 and -0.9°C in Niño-4, with values close to zero in the Niño-1+2 and Niño-3 regions. La Niña is expected to persist in the near-term and transition to ENSO-neutral during March-May 2025 (66% chance). A weak La Niña is still favored through February-April. However, there is also a 41% chance that ENSO-neutral conditions could emerge sooner. | |
Drought Improved in Panhandle, but Expanded in the Peninsula
While drought improved in the Panhandle in January, moderate drought developed in the Peninsula and severe drought emerged in February. Drought has persisted with below-normal rainfall combined with above-normal temperatures throughout much of February. By late February, roughly 4% of the state was in severe drought (D2), 34% of the state was in moderate drought (D1), and an additional 26% was considered abnormally dry (D0), according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean typically result in drier than normal conditions across Florida in winter. Even as La Niña conditions are expected to end this spring, its impacts could linger. As we enter what is typically the driest time of year for much of the state, year-to-date rainfall deficits are running 2-3+" below normal in Southeast Florida and generally 1-2" elsewhere. As a result, there could be an elevated wildfire risk this spring. As of March 4, county-enacted burn bans were in place for Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Henry, Highlands, and Sarasota Counties.
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Spring 2025 Leaning Warmer and Drier Than Normal in Florida | The NOAA Climate Prediction Center's outlook for the spring season is leaning toward a warmer than normal spring on average, March through May, in Florida and the southern tier of the U.S. Spring precipitation is leaning below normal, and drought is likely to persist or develop across the state. |
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The CoCoRaHS Annual Recruitment Push is Underway
Each March, the Community Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (or CoCoRaHS for short) has a push for observer recruitment during the month of March. The contest is called the CoCoRaHS 2025 Rain Gauge Rally.
CoCoRaHS is a citizen scientist precipitation observation network where volunteers measure and report precipitation from their own backyards. This annual recruiting competition aims to increase the number of observers in each state to help local weather forecast offices, water resource managers, and others with daily precipitation measurements. If you have been thinking about becoming an observer or are interested in learning more, visit cocorahs.org.
Here is the link to the 2025 scoreboard page, where you can keep track of each state's standing throughout the month: https://cocorahs.org/marchmadness.aspx.
For questions, please contact Emily Powell at epowell@coaps.fsu.edu.
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Florida Winter Weather Trends, Citrus Industry, January 3, 2025
What is the coldest day in Florida history? Here's how close we will get this week, The Florida Times-Union, January 9, 2025
It’s a cold January, so what month does it get warm in Florida? When to expect heat, The Florida Times-Union, January 15, 2025
Florida water managers are dealing with more floods from climate change, WFSU News, January 16, 2025
How cold does it have to be to snow? Chance of ice, snow flurries in Florida's panhandle, Tallahassee Democrat, January 16, 2025
Florida weather: This city tops list of 15 lowest temperatures ever recorded in SW FL, Naples Daily News, January 24, 2025
Despite recent rain and chills, La Niña foretells a warmer, drier winter and future fires, Florida Today, February 2, 2025
Weather in January in South Florida was the coldest since iguanas died in droves, The Palm Beach Post, February 4, 2025
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FCC Participates in 10th Annual UF Climate Communications Summit - Journalists Workshop
The UF College of Journalism and Communications hosted the 10th annual Climate Communications Summit on February 6, 2025. The morning’s climate-reporting workshop featured hands-on sessions on climate tools and databases, how to cover hurricanes, and more. Trainers included assistant state climatologist Dr. Emily Powell; UF atmospheric science professor Dr. Esther Mullens; and Max Chesnes of the Tampa Bay Times.
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FCC Participates in the Tristate Climate Learning Network, February 28, 2025 | |
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State Climatologist David Zierden participated in the most recent Tristate Climate Learning Network meeting in Live Oak, FL on February 28. The TCLN is a collaboration of UF IFAS Extension, Florida State University, Auburn University, and the University of Georgia. The topic for this meeting was on “Crop Insurance and Financial Lending in a Changing Climate.” David provided an overview of the seasonal climate forecast.
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The Florida Climate Center is part of a three-tiered system of national, regional, and state climate offices, including NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI - in Asheville, North Carolina) and the Southeast Regional Climate Center (in Chapel Hill, North Carolina). The Florida State Climatologist and staff at the Florida Climate Center provide the following information and services to the people of Florida:
Climate Data
Historical weather observations for weather stations throughout the state of Florida. We are able to provide data for most stations from 1948-present.
Climate Information
Long-term historical averages for various stations, climate divisions, and the entire state.
Extreme Event Records
Information and analyses on extreme events such as freezes, droughts, floods and hurricanes.
Special Analysis
With their vast knowledge of El Niño, La Niña and climate variability, the State Climatologist and staff can offer expert insight into Florida's climate trends.
Outreach
Activities, presentations, and workshops that inform and educate the people of Florida about current and emerging climate issues. We also coordinate volunteers for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS).
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