Florida, 1996

Cold in Florida, February 5, 1996

February 5, 1996 · NWS MFL · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

The coldest temperatures since the "Christmas freeze" of 1989 caused damage to fruit and vegetable crops in south Florida. Especially hard hit were tomatos, bell peppers and melons in Collier and Hendry counties and sugar cane in Palm Beach County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
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  • Floods
  • Wind
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  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
$75 million
Events
10

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.

The coldest temperatures since the "Christmas freeze" of 1989 caused damage to fruit and vegetable crops in south Florida. Especially hard hit were tomatos, bell peppers and melons in Collier and Hendry counties and sugar cane in Palm Beach County. Minimum temperatures were in the upper 20s in Glades, Hendry and Collier counties, and in the lower to mid 30s over the remainder of the south Florida peninsula. Strong winds caused wind chill values in the teens, and disrupted electrical service to over 20,000 customers. Shelters were opened is several counties. At least one space heater initiated fire occurred.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Glades

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Glades forecast zone
Coordinates
26.957, -81.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Inland Palm Beach

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Palm Beach forecast zone
Crop damage
$2.5 million
Coordinates
26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Coastal Palm Beach

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Palm Beach forecast zone
Coordinates
26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Coastal Collier

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Collier forecast zone
Coordinates
26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Inland Collier

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Collier forecast zone
Crop damage
$48 million
Coordinates
26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Inland Broward

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Broward forecast zone
Coordinates
26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Coastal Broward

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Broward forecast zone
Coordinates
26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Inland Miami-Dade

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Miami-Dade forecast zone
Coordinates
25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Metropolitan Miami-Dade

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Metropolitan Miami-Dade forecast zone
Coordinates
25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Hendry

When
February 5, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Hendry forecast zone
Crop damage
$25 million
Coordinates
26.554, -81.166 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5536216, 5536217, 5536218, 5536219, 5536220, 5536221, 5536222, 5536223, 5536224, 5536225.