Historic Chill Disrupts South Florida Air Travel With Delays and Cancellations

An unusually intense winter chill sweeping across South Florida has led to widespread flight delays and cancellations at the region’s major airports, officials confirmed Sunday.

Miami International Airport reported 115 delayed flights and 22 cancellations, while Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport saw 86 delays and 39 cancellations. Airport officials also noted delays in baggage processing due to the cold and the ripple effects of canceled flights.

Early Sunday morning, Miami temperatures dropped to 35 degrees Fahrenheit—the coldest reading since January 2010. Fort Lauderdale recorded the same low, marking one of the coldest mornings the region has experienced in more than a decade.

The cold weather extended far beyond South Florida. On Saturday night, snow flurries were reported in parts of the Tampa Bay area, with additional flurries seen as far north as Tallahassee. While rare, Florida has seen snow before—most notably in January 1977, when up to two inches fell east of Tampa.

The National Weather Service issued freeze warnings for parts of South Florida, effective Sunday evening through Monday morning, urging residents to protect plants, pets, and exposed pipes.

Airlines advised travelers to check flight statuses before heading to the airport and to expect residual delays as schedules normalize. With temperatures expected to remain low through the start of the week, additional disruptions were not ruled out.

For a region better known for palm trees than parkas, the cold snap is a stark reminder that even South Florida isn’t immune to winter’s extremes.