Snow in Orlando: The Real Record and 2026 Snow Events

Quick answer: Snow in Orlando is almost unheard of. The official NOAA and National Weather Service daily record for the Orlando area, which has snowfall observations back to 1948, shows no day with measurable snow at the station, only a "trace" on a few January days, the most recent on January 9, 2010. Reports from other parts of central Florida during the same storms were sometimes higher, and even the hard freeze of early February 2026 left Orlando International Airport at 0.0 inches of snow, with a low of 24°F. If your kids want to see snow in Orlando this holiday season, the realistic options are the snow-themed 2026 events listed below: one with real snow and the rest with flurry displays or carved ice.

We checked each fact below against the official page on October 12, 2026. Dates and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Key Takeaways

• The official Orlando station record (snowfall data start in 1948) shows traces on January 8, 1958, January 18 and 19, 1977, and January 9, 2010, and no measurable snow on any day. It shows no snow of any amount in a December or February.
• A trace means snow fell but never reached 0.1 inch, according to National Weather Service guidance. It is not an accumulation you could play in.
• Normal December temperatures in Orlando are a high of 73.8°F and a low of 52.9°F. January normals are 71.8°F and 49.5°F.
• For 2026, SeaWorld, Celebration Town Center, Wekiva Island, Gaylord Palms, Magic Kingdom's Christmas party and Snowcat Ridge all list snow-themed experiences with official dates.
• Only Snowcat Ridge, in Dade City, describes its snow as real. At the others, the venues describe "snow" flurries, snowfall or carved ice as part of the event, and none says the snow is real, so set expectations for little kids.

Snow in Orlando: what the official record shows

The table below uses NOAA's daily climate data for the Orlando area, in which snowfall observations start in 1948 and only two days are missing since then. The National Weather Service's Orlando page lists its snowfall period of record as starting January 1, 1948, so this guide cannot say anything about snow before then. Orlando International Airport's own record (from 1952) shows the same winter traces. You can look up the same daily data in the National Weather Service climate tool; its January summary for Orlando lists a trace as the most snow in any January (1958, 1977 and 2010).

There is no measurable snowfall anywhere in that record, and the largest entry is a trace. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information tells the same story at county level: its Snowfall Extremes page (data through June 30, 2026) lists 0.0 inches as the greatest one-day snowfall for Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties. The nearest measurable amounts it lists are in nearby counties: 1.0 inch at Lakeland Linder airport in Polk County on January 19, 1977, and 0.1 inch at an Ormond Beach station in Volusia County on January 10, 2010. If a news story or social post claims Orlando got a "dusting," the flurries may have been real, but they fell short of what the official gauges counted as measurable.

What a "trace" of snow means

The National Weather Service tells observers to record a trace when snow melts as it lands and never builds up to 0.1 inch. Its glossary describes snow flurries as light, short snowfalls with no measurable accumulation. That is the kind of event Orlando has seen.

One more wrinkle: the National Weather Service notes that its snowfall records include all frozen precipitation, such as hail, sleet and graupel, which is why trace values can appear in warm months. Orlando's record also has traces in spring, summer and fall, which were likely hail or other frozen precipitation rather than snow, so this guide lists only the winter traces. The 1977 and 2010 entries match official descriptions of Arctic cold outbreaks with flurries, but we found no official description of the 1958 entry, so we cannot say what kind of frozen precipitation it was.

The January 1977 and January 2010 events

The National Weather Service Miami office describes January 19, 1977 as the day snow fell in South Florida for the first time in recorded history, after an Arctic front swept down the peninsula. It reports that every reporting station in north and central Florida recorded at least a trace, with Tampa measuring 0.20 inches and Plant City, east of Tampa, up to 2 inches. At Orlando, the record shows a trace on January 18 and again on January 19. Other summaries of the same storm report more: the Florida Climate Center at Florida State University says areas along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando reported 1 to 2 inches, and the same list mentions flurries reaching Clermont in February 1973 and a dusting on parts of central Florida on November 21, 2006. Those are reports from around the region, not the Orlando station total, which is why this guide sticks to the station record and says what it does and does not show.

January 2010 was another cold month across Florida. NOAA's national climate report for that month says the unusually cold conditions were accompanied by snow flurries in Orlando on the 9th. That matches the trace in the daily record.

What about the February 2026 freeze?

Searches for "snow in Orlando" jumped in January and February 2026, when a hard Arctic freeze hit the peninsula. NOAA's national climate report for February 2026 says an Arctic air mass on February 1 to 3 set several all-time February record lows in Florida, including 23°F in Daytona Beach and 25°F in Melbourne. It adds that the first week of February was among the three coldest such periods on record for much of the peninsula, with mean temperatures up to 15°F below average in places such as Orlando, and that flurries were reported along the western peninsula, particularly around Tampa, on the 1st.

Orlando International Airport's daily data for February 1, 2026 shows a high of 46°F, a low of 24°F and 0.0 inches of snow. Local videos of flurries may well be real, but the official record did not log snow there.

December and January in Orlando: normal temperatures and cold records

The National Weather Service Melbourne climate page links Orlando's monthly climate tables, with records back to 1892. For planning a winter trip:

On December 25, the normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 51°F, and the record low for that date is 21°F, set in 1983. So a white Christmas in Orlando is not in the cards, but cold mornings are: records show lows in the 20s are possible in both months. Pack warm layers for early morning and evening, and plan on shorts-and-sweatshirt weather in the afternoon.

Your odds of snow on a December or January trip

Based on the record, very low. Since 1948 the daily data shows a winter trace in three Januaries (1958, 1977 and 2010) and no snow of any amount in a December or February. No year has had snow you could measure at the Orlando station. If a forecast ever mentions snow near Orlando, check the National Weather Service Melbourne forecast office before you travel. For the broader picture of winter weather and what to pack, see our guides to Orlando weather in December and the Orlando weather and baby gear guide.

Where families can see or play in snow in 2026

If you want snow for the kids, these 2026 events all have official pages with dates. We only list events with a 2026 page.

Easy and free or low cost

Visit Orlando lists Now Snowing in Celebration from November 28 to December 31, 2026, with nightly snowfall from 6 to 9:30 pm, free admission, a synthetic ice rink, carolers, Santa photos, carriage and train rides. Celebration Town Center's own event page confirms a November 28 start but lists two different times (6 pm in the text and 11 pm in the details box), so check before you drive over.

Wekiva Island's Winter Wonderland has a $5 admission fee, a Christmas Tree Forest with a 30 foot tree, Santa visits and nightly "snow" flurries. Select events, such as ornament decorating and donuts with Santa, need an additional ticket. The schedule lists events on select days rather than every night, and it shows only daytime open hours on December 24 (8 am to 4 pm) and December 25 (10 am to 3 pm), so check your exact date before you count on the evening flurries.

Big attractions with snow

At SeaWorld, the Christmas Celebration includes snow flurries on the Waterfront with toy soldiers and a ballerina, all with park admission. We cover event days, hours and toddler timing in our SeaWorld Christmas Celebration with toddlers guide.

Christmas at Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee runs November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Its ice! attraction features The Polar Express carved in ice at 9°F, and the resort gives every guest a complimentary hooded parka to wear in the attraction, in sizes from infants up to adults. Most guests spend 20 to 40 minutes inside, and the ice slides need a height minimum. Snow Flow Mountain is an ice tubing hill with a 42 inch minimum height, one rider per tube and no holding children on laps, so it is for taller kids. The resort's Snowball Build & Blast game lets guests throw real snowballs at targets.

Walt Disney World's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party lists a "snowfall" on Main Street, U.S.A., but it is a separately ticketed evening event running 7 pm to midnight, which is late for toddlers. We cover it in our Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party with toddlers guide.

A real snow day trip

Snowcat Ridge, a snow park in Dade City in the Tampa Bay area, says all of its snow is real. Its hours calendar lists November 14 and 15, November 20 to 25, November 27 to 30, every day in December and select days in January 2027 (January 1 to 4, then mostly Fridays through Sundays plus January 18). In November and December it opens at 9 am, 10 am or 3 pm and closes at 9, 10 or 11 pm depending on the date, and December 25 runs 3 pm to 11 pm. Children under 2 do not need a general admission ticket, but everyone 2 and older needs a ticket and a signed waiver. Because it is outside Orlando, it suits a full day out rather than a quick stop.

Tips for snow outings with babies and toddlers

• Dress in layers: Orlando afternoons are mild, but ice! is 9°F and evening events can feel cold after dark. Use socks, hats and a blanket for stroller naps.
• Use the stroller: a rental stroller for the stay saves a lot of carrying, and a rain cover can also cut the wind and keep off showers. Honest Sherpa's stroller rentals list single, umbrella, jogging and double strollers plus rain covers.
• Keep naps: most of these events are in the evening, so give toddlers a real nap first. A rented Pack and Play or crib at the vacation home helps.
• Set expectations: Celebration, SeaWorld and Main Street describe "snow" flurries or snowfall as part of the event, and none of them says the snow is real. Real snow play is at Snowcat Ridge.
• Check height rules: Gaylord's tubing needs 42 inches, and Snowcat Ridge and others set their own rules.

What we left out

When we checked on October 12, Disney Springs' holiday page still described the 2025 season, including its nightly snowfall, and asked visitors to check back for 2026 information, so we did not list it. If you find a snow event without an official 2026 page, treat the dates as unconfirmed until the venue posts them.

FAQ

Has it ever snowed in Orlando? Yes, in tiny amounts. The official Orlando record, which starts in 1948, shows traces on January 8, 1958, January 18 and 19, 1977 and January 9, 2010, and no measurable snowfall at the station. Reports from elsewhere in central Florida during the 1977 storm were higher.

When did it last snow in Orlando? The last winter trace in the daily record was January 9, 2010. Orlando International Airport recorded 0.0 inches of snow during the February 1, 2026 freeze.

Will it snow in Orlando in December? Based on the record since 1948, a December trace has not occurred, and December normals are a 73.8°F high and 52.9°F low.

Has it ever snowed at Disney World? We did not find a separate official weather record for the Disney property. The nearest long-term official record, for Orlando, shows traces in 1958, 1977 and 2010 and no measurable snow. Disney's Magic Kingdom Christmas party does add "snowfall" on Main Street, U.S.A. on select nights.

Did it snow in Florida in 1989? Yes, in parts of the state. The Florida Climate Center lists December 23, 1989 as the day rain changed to snow in Jacksonville. Orlando's record shows no snow that day, with lows of 24°F on December 23 and 22°F on December 24.

Where can kids see snow in Orlando? In 2026, check Celebration's Now Snowing, Wekiva Island's Winter Wonderland, SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration, Gaylord Palms, Magic Kingdom's Christmas party and Snowcat Ridge in Dade City.

Is the snow real at these events? Snowcat Ridge says all of its snow is real. The other venues describe "snow" flurries or snowfall as part of the event and none of them says the snow is real, while Gaylord Palms' ice! is carved from real ice at 9°F.

Is it cold enough for coats in Orlando in winter? Usually a light jacket is enough in the afternoon, and cold fronts can bring lows in the 20s, so bring warmer layers for mornings and evenings.

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