The official start of winter is still two weeks away, but South Florida is bracing for some seriously cold temperatures (for our standards).
While this cold spell may not rival the one experienced back in January, when it remained cold for two straight weeks, the forecast calls for readings in the 30s both Monday and Tuesday nights.
A freeze warning is in effect for inland locations in South Florida, and farm owners are scrambling to protect their crops. For the rest of us, a wind chill warning has been issued, as the wind will make us feel like it's in the 20s and not the 30s.
While we may not break any records, the forecast low of 40 degrees in Miami for Tuesday, December 7th, rivals some of the earliest cold outbreaks ever recorded in the Magic City. The earliest seasonal occurrence of 40 degrees or lower was on December 10th 1910! The last time the temperature dipped below 45 before December 7th was November 15th 1975.
In neighboring Palm Beach, freezing temperatures can be expected, and they could break the record for the earliest such occurrence (previously December 12, 1934 and 1957).
Broward County Public Schools has issued a "cold weather emergency" for Tuesday and Wednesday morning, asking parents to dress their children in hats, gloves and jackets, while in Miami-Dade County, the Homeless Trust is encouraging and transporting the homeless to temporary emergency shelters.
