Over Four Decades Ago, South Florida Got Its First Taste Of Snow

Snow is super rare in South Florida, and it was 44 years ago on Tuesday (January 19) the region got some for the first time in recorded history, according to CBS Miami.

This momentous event happened on January 19, 1977. Temperatures dipped into the low 30s in the early morning, and eager residents took in the snowflakes and chilling air. Thanks to a cold front that moved into Florida the night before, it merged with a "strong arctic high" to make history in the Sunshine State.

Here's what the National Weather Service in Miami reported back then:

"Residents and visitors were both surprised and thrilled at the rare phenomena, and local newspapers ran headlines which were nearly as big as it would be for major national or world events. Snow was seen across all of Southeast Florida as far south as Homestead and even on Miami Beach. Snow was officially reported by weather observers in West Palm Beach, LaBelle, Hollywood, and Royal Palm Ranger Station in deep South Miami-Dade County."

NWS Miami posted about it on Twitter along with newspaper clips and recorded temps for that date:

In that post, officials said there were unconfirmed reports of snow flurries in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Unfortunately, a state of emergency had to be declared for Florida, according to reporters. Crops, especially in the citrus and vegetable industry, suffered from unusual chill.

What was your first memory of snow in the Sunshine State?

Photo: Getty Images