The National Weather Service in Tampa has issued a freeze warning and cold weather advisory for inland areas of Lee County including Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres.
The warning is in effect for 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, and the weather service said the wind chills could go as low as 27.
“Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold,” the alert says.
Lee County and area agencies opening warming centers
When temps drop below 40 for extended periods, the county, LeeTran and other agencies coordinate to help people get out of the cold.
Plans starting Monday, Feb. 23 include:
Will Feb. 24 temps break a record?
The Feb. 24 record low for Fort Myers is 37 so the NWS’s forecasted low of 36 could break it.
What is the forecast for Fort Myers, Fl
By Wednesday, Fort Myers will be back to beach-day weather. Here’s the NWS forecast:
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 64. Wind chill values as low as 31 early. North wind 6 to 9 mph.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 39. Light and variable wind.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 74. Wind chill values as low as 39 early. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Light and variable wind.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
What’s are the lowest temperatures recorded for the Fort Myers, SW Florida area?
What is the lowest temperature ever recorded in SW FL?
According to National Weather Service data, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Fort Myers was 26 degrees on Dec. 13, 1962.
“The area has seen plenty of hard freezes, with a record low temperature of 19°F observed in La Belle on Jan. 20, 1997,” Emily Powell, Florida Assistant State Climatologist to The News-Press & Naples Daily News in 2025.
Here’s a breakdown provided by the climate center with location, temperature and date:
1-La Belle
Jan. 20, 1997
19 degrees
2-Immokalee
Jan. 12, 1982
20 degrees
3-Devils Garden
Jan. 20, 1997
20 degrees
4-Belle Glade
Jan. 12, 1982
21 degrees
5. Punta Gorda
Dec.29, 1920
22 degrees
6. Everglades
Feb. 5, 1996
23 degrees
7. Miles City Tower
Dec. 14, 1962
23 degrees
8. Moore Haven
Dec. 2, 1989
23 degrees
9.Punta Gorda
Jan. 12, 1982
23 degrees
Wildlife shocked and stunned by chilled waterways
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission is investigating the deaths of 30 or more manatees, which usually seek relief from cold water at the FLP plant along the Orange River in Lee County.
SW Florida farmers hit hard by extended cold snaps
With farmers caught shorthanded and with crops not ready for harvesting, a pair of winter storms at the beginning and end of January potentially inflicted more than $3.17 billion in losses to the state’s agricultural industry.
Winter storms Ezra from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1 and Gianna from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4 brought freezing temperatures for multiple hours to all but Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys.
In a release, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson described the freeze events as “one of the most damaging” in Florida’s agriculture history.
The affected areas included Southwest Florida, although it didn’t see the worst of the damage.
In an early assessment a few weeks ago, Mongi Zekri, a multi-county citrus agent for UF/IFAS in Southwest Florida, said: “The severity of the damage depends on the location of the citrus grove. It looks like there is more damage in groves located in Charlotte and DeSoto counties than in Hendry and Collier County groves.”
Statewide, greenhouses and nurseries suffered around $240 million in losses.
Strawberry growers had damages of $306 million, for sweet corn growers it was $255 million in losses, with losses for bell peppers at $108 million and tomatoes at $164 million. Also, blueberry losses were at $78.5 million, with watermelon crops at $65 million, potatoes at $79 million, cabbage at $21.8 million and squash at $24.5 million.
Contributing: Chad Gillis, Laura Layden, Mark Bickel and the News Service of Florida.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, FL temps plummeting. Will cold weather records be broken?
Reporting by Cindy McCurry-Ross, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
