Miami Could Make 100-Year Weather History on New Year's Eve

Millions of Americans are set to gather for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. They'll celebrate with champagne and parties to ring in the new year with their loved ones, and many Americans have elected to travel in order to do so.

Destinations with warmer climates are popular year-round, but they're especially relevant during this portion of the year. People from colder cities and states will head south and head west to soak up the sun, but those traveling to the city of Miami could be in for a rude awakening.

The National Weather Service says a cold front is moving into the South Florida region, and that it is bringing far colder temperatures than normal to end the year.

The NWS believes the coldest air from that front will arrive on Wednesday and Thursday, just in time for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations.

Why Is It So Cold in Miami This Week?

According to meteorologist Chuck Caracozza, "fluctuations in exact forecast temperature values are still possible and we will continue to monitor for the possibility of a need for a cold weather advisory across portions of the region during this time period."

Cold weather advisories are administered when the “feels-like” temperatures in an area consistently stay at or below 35 degrees for a sustained period of three hours or more.

Glades, Hendry, inland Palm Beach, and inland Collier counties received cold weather advisories on Tuesday, and temperatures in Miami are expected to hover around the warning mark on Wednesday and Thursday.

A record low of 34 degrees was recorded in Miami over a century ago, and remains the coldest such New Year's Eve on record in the city. The most recent cold snap came in the early 1960s, when temperatures were around 40 degrees as residents in the Naples area of Florida rang in the new year.

When Will The Coldest Temperatures Be Felt?

This year's expected temperatures are set to rival or surpass some of those marks, with the "feels-like" temperature projected to be at or around 43 degrees early in the morning on New Year's Day.

For further context, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are typically between 64 and 84 degrees in Miami and surrounding areas, making it one of the most pleasant places in America to experience the holiday in terms of weather.

There is good news on the horizon for fans of the traditionally warmer weather experienced around this time of year in south Florida. Temperatures are expected to climb after the cold front passes through, rising to around 60 degrees and higher before the start of the weekend.

We'll see how Florida and some other states and areas deal with the rare cold weather to end 2025, and what the future brings for those areas in 2026 and beyond.