ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida is bracing for an Arctic blast this weekend that experts say could rival the historic cold wave in 1977.
Residents across the region are preparing for temperatures to drop as the system moves into the area.
The upcoming freeze follows a pattern of rare but extreme cold events in the state’s history.
Historical records from Jan. 19, 1977, show that temperatures in Orlando dropped to 24 degrees.
That event left ice covering plants and trees across the region nearly 50 years ago.
Some parts of Central Florida recorded three inches of snow during that historic wave.
While this weekend is expected to be significantly cold, weather experts are not anticipating snowfall similar to the 1977 event.
The last major cold spell to affect the area before this weekend occurred in December 2010.
During the 2010 cold spell, snowfall was documented at the Daytona International Speedway.
Photos from that time captured Boy Scouts using the snow to build three mini-snowmen and writing messages on the back of snow-covered vehicles.
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