Could Florida see snow this week?

The words “Florida” and “snow” rarely ever go together, but could the Sunshine State actually see some snowfall this week?

A potent cold front is sweeping across the United States, moving across Florida on Sunday.

While snow is not in the forecast here in Southwest Florida, if you want to experience the possibility of seeing flurries, you may have to take a road trip to North Florida.

Weather Authority Meteorologist Lauren Kreidler says, “The setup has to be just right, including an ample amount of moisture along with this Arctic front. An area of low pressure in the Gulf will allow the chance for wintry precipitation Tuesday into Wednesday.”

A rare Winter Storm Watch has been issued for portions of the western Panhandle, including Pensacola, for Tuesday.

The National Weather Service office in Mobile/Pensacola notes that while the confidence in impactful wintry precipitation is increasing, it is still a little early to know the precipitation type. Therefore, freezing rain, sleet, and/or snow are all in play.

Snow in Florida is rather rare, with only 30 snowfall events reported in the past century. Most of those events consisted of snow flurries seen across the Panhandle.

While snow isn’t in our local forecast, we can expect to kick off the week with below-average temperatures, only reaching the 60s by the afternoon.