Florida is most famous for its mild winters. The farther south one goes on the peninsula, the milder the winters. Nonetheless, no part of Florida--not even Key West--escapes periodic blasts of cold air from the North.
North Florida winters are distinct from those of the peninsula. In north Florida freezing temperatures arrive earlier, last longer, and are lower than farther south. Meteorologists have defined a line, running roughly between St. Augustine and Cedar Key, to the north of which winters are considered continental; to the south, they are considered peninsular. The frequency of freezes decreases rapidly south of this line. Proximity to the coast, particularly the Atlantic, also has a strong influence on temperature. The last freeze of the winter is normally considerably later in the interior of the peninsula than along the coasts. Measurable amounts of snow fall in Florida about once each decade, usually in the north. Snow, however, has been seen in the air as far south as Miami.
