Friday night was a weird one. If you were anywhere in the Southeast or the Mid-Atlantic, you probably felt that biting, "get inside right now" kind of chill that doesn't usually hit this early in the year—or this hard. We aren't just talking about a standard winter dip. Last night’s weather was a record-shattering event for some and a snowy preview for others.
In Florida, the "Sunshine State" branding took a serious hit. Jacksonville tied a record low of 22 degrees that had stood since 1927. Think about that for a second. The last time it was this cold on January 16th, the Ford Model A was just hitting the streets.
The Deep Freeze in the South
It wasn't just Jacksonville. Tallahassee dropped to a staggering 19 degrees. For context, that’s about as cold as it was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during parts of the night. Farmers in Plant City were out in the dark spraying strawberry crops with water. It sounds counterintuitive, but they do it to create a "protective" layer of ice that actually keeps the fruit from freezing solid at even lower temperatures.
Honestly, seeing ice-covered strawberries in Florida is a surreal sight that usually signals a disaster for the local economy. Warming shelters opened up from Orlando all the way up to the Panhandle.
Down in Miami, the vibe was just... chilly. High pressure kept things dry, but the thermometers were hovering in the 50s. While that sounds like a dream to someone in Chicago, it’s a total shock to the system for South Florida.
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Snow Flurries and "Black Ice" Fears
Further north, the story shifted from just "cold" to "wintry mix." In the Mid-Atlantic—specifically around Baltimore and DC—temperatures actually rose slightly during the middle of the night. This happened because of a warm front lifting through, but don't let that fool you. It was a "dirty" warm front, bringing moisture that translated into light snow and sleet in the Alleghenies and Northern Maryland.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Raleigh and Wakefield spent most of the night monitoring a "Freeze Watch." The big concern right now isn't just the air temp; it's the roads. Last night, any standing water on bridges or overpasses began to turn into black ice as temperatures plunged into the 20s across Central North Carolina.
Wind and Fire Out West
Meanwhile, the High Plains were dealing with a completely different animal. We're talking wind gusts over 70 mph.
In Colorado and parts of the Central Plains, last night was a high-stakes balancing act. The humidity was incredibly low—around 20% in some spots—which triggered "Red Flag" fire warnings. It’s a terrifying combination: sub-zero wind chills on one hand and the risk of a fast-spreading wildfire on the other.
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In Chicago, the OEMC (Office of Emergency Management and Communications) was already sounding the alarm for the weekend. While last night was mostly overcast and "very cold" (around 24°F in Schiller Park), the real Arctic hammer is about to drop. We're looking at wind chills dipping below zero by the time you finish your coffee this morning.
Global Context: It's Not Just Us
If you think we had it rough, look at Southern Africa. While we’re shivering, they are dealing with catastrophic flooding. Over 100 people have died in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa due to torrential rains fueled by La Niña. In South Africa’s Limpopo province, some areas saw 15 inches of rain in just one week.
Back in Türkiye, 13 provinces were under a "yellow alert" last night. A messy combination of snow, sleet, and northerly winds of 60 km/h made travel almost impossible in the Marmara region.
What You Should Do Today
The weather from last night isn't just "over"—it’s the setup for a very dangerous weekend.
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1. Check your pipes. If you’re in the South, particularly Georgia or Florida, that 22-degree dip was a "burst pipe" warning shot. Keep your faucets dripping if you're in an older home.
2. Watch the bridges. Even if the sun is out today, those overpasses in VA and NC stayed below freezing for hours. They will hold ice much longer than the main asphalt.
3. Prep for the "Arctic Surge." The NWS is forecasting another surge of Arctic air for early next week. If last night felt cold, Monday night is going to be worse. Use today to check your car battery and emergency kits.
4. Protect your plants (again). If you didn't cover your tropicals last night, they might already be gone. But for those that survived, keep them covered. The "Freeze Watch" is still active for Sunday night through Monday morning in the Southeast.
Last night was a 99-year outlier for the South, and it serves as a pretty blunt reminder that winter in 2026 isn't playing around. Whether it's 70 mph winds in the Plains or record-breaking lows in Jacksonville, the best move right now is to stay informed and stay inside.