Has It Ever Snowed in Tampa, Florida? Almost Never
Measurable snowfall in Tampa is virtually nonexistent. Since reliable records began (1890), Tampa has recorded trace snow flurries only three times — never accumulation.
Recorded Frozen Precipitation Events
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|
| Jan 19, 1977 | Snow flurries | First recorded; trace amounts; 30°F (-1°C); "Snow in Tampa" headlines nationwide |
| Dec 23, 1989 | Snow flurries | Brief; mixed with sleet; 32°F (0°C) |
| Jan 9, 2010 | Snow flurries | Light; melted on contact; 34°F (1°C) |
Why Tampa Almost Never Sees Snow
- Latitude: 27.9°N — just north of Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N)
- Maritime climate: Gulf of Mexico (west), Tampa Bay, Atlantic (east) — warm water buffers cold air
- Climate zone: Humid subtropical (Cfa) — mild winters, hot humid summers
- Freeze frequency: ~2 nights/year ≤32°F (0°C) — usually radiational cooling, clear calm nights
- Snow requirements: Need moisture + cold air simultaneously — rare alignment this far south
What Tampa Gets Instead
- Frost: Annual, Nov–Mar (damages tropical plants)
- Freeze: Occasional (citrus industry impact)
- Hail: Spring severe storms
- Graupel (soft hail): Rare, mistaken for snow
Florida Snow Context
- Jacksonville (30.3°N): 1–2 measurable events/decade
- Panhandle (Pensacola, 30.4°N): More frequent
- State record: 4 inches (Milton, 1895; Tallahassee, 1958)
- 2018 "Bomb Cyclone": Snow Tallahassee to Jacksonville; Tampa: rain
If you want snow in Florida, drive 300+ miles north. Tampa's "winter" is 70°F highs, 55°F lows — and that's why 3M+ people live there.
Wanderlust World