Could Florida see flurries? Rare Gulf-effect snow

As arctic air invades Florida this weekend, a rare event may occur... snow! If conditions come together in just the right way, flurries may fly in the Sunshine State.

For those hoping for a snowstorm and accumulating snow in Florida, we're going to disappoint you; however, flurries are possible Saturday night into Sunday morning along the western Florida Gulf Coast and possibly the Atlantic beaches of northeast Florida.

This phenomenon is called "Gulf-effect" snow. In Florida, a “Gulf-effect” setup can occur when cold air moves over the relatively warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For this to happen, a long fetch of northwest winds is needed to pick up moisture, along with a sufficiently large temperature difference between the warm water and the colder air above.

With Gulf water temperatures hovering in the low 60s, and air temperatures falling to near or below-freezing on Sunday morning, there may be enough of a temperature difference to create a rain/snow mix as northwest winds kick in.

Any flurries that do fall will melt quickly, but it will be a unique sight. The last measurable snow in Tampa occurred on January 19, 1977, when approximately 0.2 inches fell. While flurries are not a guarantee this weekend, the cold is, and it will linger. Our 14-day trend shows the chill lingering into early next week.