Freezing in the Tropics? Three Surprising Places Where Warm Destinations Felt the Chill

When you picture the tropics, snowy streets or frosty mornings probably aren’t what comes to mind. For most of us, the tropics mean warm sunshine, lush greenery, and temperatures that hardly ever dip below 70°F. But believe it or not, even tropical locations have been known to experience shockingly cold weather. 

With the right atmospheric conditions, rare freezes can reach places that typically never see frost. As winter looms in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the perfect time to explore how three tropical destinations—from sunny South Florida to the Sahara Desert—have occasionally felt the unmistakable bite of freezing temperatures.

1. South Florida: Snowfall in the Sunshine State

South Florida’s Miami is renowned for its subtropical beaches and year-round warmth, but January 1977 brought a shock. On a morning that Floridians will never forget, snowflakes floated over Miami-Dade and Broward counties, a sight most thought impossible in the Sunshine State. 

This was no ordinary winter chill; it was the result of an Arctic cold front that swept down from Canada, driving temperatures to unprecedented lows.