Snow in Florida

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/snow-in-florida

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the earliest recorded snowfall event?1774 in Jacksonville, described as 'extraordinary white rain'
2. What causes snow to fall in Florida?Snow in Florida happens when very cold air from the north moves south, the jet stream pulls cold air into the Gulf, and a cold front lifts moist air. The air must stay below freezing all the way from the clouds to the ground.
3. Why is snow so rare in Florida?Florida is usually warm and close to the ocean, so the air is usually too hot for snow. Only a few times do the right cold air and storm conditions line up, so most of the year the snow amount is zero.

Polar Jet Stream: A high-altitude, fast-flowing air current that steers weather systems and is characterized by cold air.
Atmospheric Column: The vertical extent of the atmosphere above a specific point on Earth's surface.
Temperature Inversion: A condition where a layer of warm air is trapped above a layer of colder air near the ground.
Maritime Air Masses: Large bodies of air that form over oceans and are typically moist and mild.