When temperatures dip below freezing in Florida, it’s a big deal. Most Floridians deal with a freeze only once or twice a year, if that. When it happens, citrus crops take a hit, and sometimes you’ll see stunned iguanas dropping out of trees. Just last year, parts of North Florida got hammered with record snowfall. Roads locked up, power went out, and nobody quite knew what to do.
This Friday, January 16, 2026, Floridians will wake up to the coldest morning of the season. No snow this time, but it’s going to be cold. The National Weather Service has already put most of the state under a freeze watch starting Thursday night and stretching into Friday morning.
Temperatures north of Tampa Bay could drop all the way to 24 degrees. Inland counties might see a hard freeze, while a majority of the state is under a freeze watch.
What should you do? Englewood Review pulled together a quick guide to help you stay warm and safe. Experts say to focus on four main things when it gets this cold: people, pets, pipes, and plants.
Let’s start with people.
Limit your time outside. If you do have to go out, layer up, think jackets, gloves, hats, the whole deal. Staying dry and out of the wind helps too. Everybody’s at risk when it’s this cold, but older adults, little kids, outdoor workers, and folks without a place to stay need extra attention. Check in on your neighbors, family, and friends.
The Punta Gorda Charlotte Library is collecting handmade blankets and scarves to help folks staying at cold weather shelters. Every bit helps.
Don’t forget about pets.
If you usually leave them outside, now’s the time to bring them in or make sure they’ve got a warm spot. Livestock need protection too, so don’t let their food or water freeze.
Watch the Pipes
Pipes can be a headache during a freeze watch. Water expands as it freezes, and that can crack your pipes wide open. The Red Cross says you should drain outdoor water lines, think sprinklers and hoses, and bring hoses inside for now.
In Tallahassee, where freezing weather isn’t so rare, people wrap outdoor and attic pipes with cloth for insulation. Double-check that your water meter cover fits tight. If your pipes do freeze, use the valves in your meter box to shut off the water before things get messy.
Plants aren’t off the hook, either.
Most Florida plants can handle a short cold spell, but you should know your plants’ limits. Cover sensitive ones with old sheets or burlap and pin them down, but skip the plastic, it actually pulls heat away. Potted plants struggle more with the cold, so move them inside if you can. If not, cluster them together and use mulch to trap a little extra warmth.
Power Strips
One additional “P” safety tip: heat your house safely. If you use a space heater, keep it at least three feet away from anything flammable and set it on a hard, flat surface. Always turn it off before bed. And whatever you do, don’t plug space heaters into a power strip. That’s just asking for trouble.
Southwest Florida Prepares: Shelters Open for Incoming Cold Front
Lee County
Starting Thursday and running through Monday, The Salvation Army is opening its doors to anyone who needs a warm place to sleep. They’ve got a limited number of single beds, and it’s first come, first served. If you need shelter, head over to 2400 Edison Avenue in Fort Myers for intake between 2 and 4 p.m.
Every day through Monday, The Salvation Army will check its capacity, and as long as there’s space, they’ll keep welcoming people. If you have questions, just call them at 239-334-3745.
Meanwhile, the Housing, Outreach, and Treatment teams are out in the community, making sure folks get the cold-weather gear they need, jackets, socks, blankets, hand warmers, the works.
LeeTran is stepping up, too. They’re rolling out warming buses at a few key spots:
– Rosa Parks Transfer Station (2250 Widman Way, Fort Myers) from 6 to 8 a.m.
– Lehigh Acres Park & Ride (1121 Village Lakes Blvd.) from 6 to 10 a.m.
– Cape Coral Transfer Station (820 SE 47th Terrace) from 6 to 10 a.m.
On Friday, authorities will set up mobile warming stations at several locations, handing out supplies and providing a place to get out of the cold.
– Lions Park: 8:30–11 a.m. and 2–4:30 p.m. (2550 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers)
– Rosa Parks Transfer Station: 8:30–11 a.m. and 2–4:30 p.m.
– Edison Mall Transfer Station: 8:30–11 a.m. and 2–4:30 p.m.
– South Fort Myers Transfer Station: 8:30–11 a.m. and 2–4:30 p.m.
If you’re looking for a place to warm up indoors, here’s where you can go:
– Dunbar United Way Resiliency Hub at Community Cooperative: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. (3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers)
– Tice United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (5100 Tice St., Fort Myers)
– Harlem Heights United Way Resiliency Hub at The Heights Center: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. (15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers)
– West Cape Coral United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. (1499 S.W. Pine Island Rd., Cape Coral)
– Sanibel United Way Resiliency Hub at F.I.S.H of Sanibel-Captiva: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. (2422 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel)
– Pine Manor United Way Resiliency Hub: 8:30–11 a.m. (5547 10th Ave., Fort Myers)
– Fort Myers Regional Library: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (2450 First St., Fort Myers)
– North Fort Myers Library/Parks and Recreation: 12–5 p.m. (2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers)
On Monday and Tuesday, LeeTran brings the warming buses back to the same locations and times as before.
For Monday, you’ve also got these warming stations open:
– Tice United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
– West Cape Coral United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
If you need somewhere safe and warm or know someone who does, reach out to The Salvation Army at 239-334-3745. Stay safe, and help spread the word.
Tuesday, Jan. 20: HOT teams will be out in the community, meeting with people experiencing homelessness and handing out cold-weather supplies—think jackets, socks, blankets, and hand warmers. They’re also connecting folks with resources they might need.
Warming Stations will be open at these spots:
East Fort Myers United Way Resiliency Hub at the Children’s Advocacy Center of SWFL (4040 Palm Beach Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33916): 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Charleston Park United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (2541 Charleston Park Drive, Alva, FL 33920): 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dunbar United Way Resiliency Hub at Community Cooperative (3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33916): 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Tice United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (5100 Tice St., Fort Myers, FL 33905): 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Harlem Heights United Way Resiliency Hub at The Heights Center (15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33908): 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
West Cape Coral United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (1499 SW. Pine Island Rd., Cape Coral, FL 33991): 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sanibel United Way Resiliency Hub at F.I.S.H of Sanibel-Captiva (2422 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957): 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pine Manor United Way Resiliency Hub at Pine Manor Improvement Association (5547 10th Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33907): 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Fort Myers Regional Library (2450 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
North Fort Myers Library/Parks and Recreation (2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers, FL 33903): 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
In Charlotte County, the Charlotte CARE Center (formerly the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition) at 1476 Kenesaw St. in Port Charlotte is opening its doors for anyone who needs shelter from the cold. You’ll need to pre-register by calling 941-627-4313 and get there by 8 p.m.
Questions? Call Ashley Turner at 941-833-5610.
Stay warm out there.
