PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Whether you see it as a welcome surprise from Santa or just a lump of cold, South Florida is getting a chilly Christmas this year.
The latest forecast calls for Friday’s high temperature in Miami to be just 63 degrees, Local 10 meteorologist Jordan Patrick says. That would be the coldest Christmas Day here since the 1990s.
South Florida could see some spotty showers on Christmas Eve as the cold front moves in. There will be clouds but dryer weather when you wake up Christmas morning — and then be ready for the temperature to drop.
It will feel downright cold on Saturday, with temperatures dipping into the 40s and wind chills as low as the 30s in some places, Patrick says.
Those morning lows could cause falling iguanas. Because they are cold-blooded reptiles, iguanas living in South Florida trees often become immobile in chilly weather, causing them to drop to the ground when the thermometer plummets, though they are still alive.
If #Miami has a high temperature of 63° on #Christmas as is forecast, it will be the coldest Christmas high since 1995 (and 1983 before that). The record coldest Christmas high is 51°, set in 1983. #winter
— Brian McNoldy (@BMcNoldy) December 24, 2020
Heading into next week it should warm back up into the 70s.
Cold-weather emergency
Broward County has declared a cold-weather emergency from 6 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday. Homeless people in need of a warm place to stay can report to the Salvation Army at 1445 West Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale no later than 5:30 p.m. Friday for transportation or access to special cold-night shelters.
The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust has activated their cold-weather emergency plan through Saturday afternoon, opening shelters for the homeless population. If you require assistance with homeless sheltering, please contact the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust Helpline at 1 (877) 994-HELP (4357) or (305) 375-CARE (2273).
Watch Jordan’s outlook in the video at the top of this page.
And for the latest forecast information, head over to the Local 10 Weather Authority page.