Florida, a state better known for its balmy beaches and subtropical breezes, is bracing for a deep freeze this week as a powerful cold front sweeps across the peninsula. Freeze warnings have been issued for 55 of Florida’s 67 counties as of the morning of January 15, 2026, according to the USA TODAY Network-Florida. The frigid blast comes as temperatures are predicted to plummet well below seasonal averages, prompting officials and local organizations to open a network of cold weather shelters from the Panhandle to the Treasure Coast.
“Chillier mornings could start as early as Thursday morning in far northern Florida,” reported AccuWeather, but the most extreme temperature drop is expected Thursday night, with lows forecasted to reach the 20s in cities like Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Cities further south, including Orlando and Lakeland, could see overnight temperatures dip into the 30s. For some Floridians, that’s downright arctic!
In response to the rare cold snap, counties across the state have announced emergency measures. Escambia County’s Waterfront Rescue Mission in Pensacola has opened as a cold weather shelter and will remain available during the day whenever temperatures are below 40 degrees. Santa Rosa County’s Ferris Hill Baptist Church in Milton, Okaloosa County’s One Hopeful Place in Fort Walton Beach, and the Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless are among the Northwest Florida locations opening their doors to those seeking warmth on January 15.
Leon County, home to the state capital, is taking similar precautions. The Kearney Center, HOPE Community, and CCYS are offering shelter to adults, families, and youths from January 15 through January 17. Those in need are encouraged to arrive between 4 and 8 p.m., with a dedicated hotline (850-576-6000) available for information and assistance.
Jacksonville’s Legends Center and St. Augustine’s First United Methodist Church are also opening as warming centers on January 15, while Volusia County’s Bridge Neighborhood Center and Halifax Urban Ministries are coordinating with local churches and nonprofits to provide safe havens in DeLand and beyond. Flagler County’s Sheltering Tree at the Rock Transformation Center will welcome guests on Thursday and Friday nights, and Brevard County shelters—including Matthew’s Hope Ministries in Cocoa, Melbourne First Church of the Nazarene, and Titusville Civic Center—are preparing to accommodate people through January 24.
Further south, St. Lucie County’s In the Image of Christ and Martin County’s Gertrude Walden Child Care Center will serve as emergency shelters on January 15. In Osceola County, three locations—First United Methodist Church in St. Cloud, Iglesia del Nazareno Casa de Vida, and Poinciana Christian Church in Kissimmee—will open nightly from January 15 to January 18, providing relief to residents facing the coldest nights in recent memory.
Even Sarasota, a city more accustomed to sun than frost, is under a cold weather advisory for early Friday, January 16. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to drop to 33 degrees, with a wind chill making it feel as low as 29. While this isn’t record-breaking cold for Sarasota—the all-time low for January 15 is 27 degrees, set in 1964—it’s still a rare event for the Gulf Coast city. Surrounding counties, including Manatee, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee, are under freeze warnings, though Sarasota itself had not been placed under such a warning as of Thursday morning.
Manatee County, anticipating the cold, will open additional shelter spaces. The Salvation Army’s Bradenton location will check in guests at 6 p.m. on both January 15 and 16. Under One Roof, also in Bradenton, will open a women-only shelter at 2:45 p.m., with transportation provided via Manatee County Area Transit. Turning Points, another local organization, will offer warmth and coffee to those seeking respite from the chill.
The cold front is expected to bring temperatures 15 to 20 degrees below average across Florida, as AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk explained: “Interior areas of Central Florida are likely to have a freeze Thursday night.” The Florida Department of Emergency Management added that “subfreezing temperatures can be expected throughout North Florida and interior Central Florida Thursday night,” with hard freeze conditions creating lows in the 20s. For South Florida, the cold isn’t quite as severe, but the region will still experience lows in the mid-30s to upper 40s, with wind chills dipping into the 20s and 30s around Lake Okeechobee.
In addition to the human impact, the cold has some uniquely Floridian side effects. When temperatures drop into the 40s, iguanas in South Florida can become temporarily paralyzed and fall from trees—a phenomenon that’s both startling and harmless, as the reptiles revive once they warm up. “The effect is only temporary, so do not pick them up,” advised USA TODAY Network-Florida. Once they recover, startled iguanas may bite if handled.
Despite the dramatic drop in temperatures, meteorologists say the chance of snow is extremely low. “Chances for snow are very, very low; 5% if that, in North Florida,” said Cameron Young of the National Weather Service Tallahassee. Jason Hess, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Jacksonville, explained, “It’s not impossible but right now models are saying all the moisture will leave by the time the cold air arrives.” That’s a relief for many, considering the historic snowstorm that struck Florida in January 2025, closing highways and breaking records in Pensacola with nearly 9 inches of snow.
For those curious about the state’s coldest moments, the all-time record low in Florida was set on February 13, 1899, when Tallahassee shivered at -2 degrees. Sarasota’s coldest January 16th was a brisk 26 degrees back in 1927.
Local governments are encouraging residents to stay informed through weather alerts and to take precautions, especially those without adequate heating or shelter. In Palm Beach County, for instance, cold weather shelters may open when nighttime temperatures are forecast to fall below 40 degrees, or when wind chills remain below 35 degrees for four consecutive hours. Residents in Lee County are advised to call the United Way 211 Helpline for real-time shelter locations.
As the cold air settles in, the state is expected to see a brief reprieve over the weekend, with temperatures rebounding into the 70s in some areas before dipping again. But for now, Florida is hunkering down, with communities banding together to protect their most vulnerable from the rare but biting winter chill.
The coming days will test Florida’s resilience to winter weather, but with shelters open and residents on alert, the Sunshine State is proving it can handle more than just hurricanes and heatwaves.
