Frozen Disney World may close as Florida braces for Arctic weather and snow ruins vacations in the South

An Arctic blast will invade Florida, bringing freezing temperatures that threaten to close Disney World in the first weeks of January.

Temperatures could reach freezing due to “multiple cold air currents moving into the eastern U.S. during the first two weeks of January,” AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva said.

The first front will hit on January 4, dropping temperatures into the low 40s in the south and freezing in the north.

And the next cold front is expected on Jan. 8, which “could bring some pretty cold weather,” DaSilva said.

The worst part of the recession could be that the annual Disney Marathon on Jan. 12 faces temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with highs in the 40s and 50s.

The cold snap could even bring snow to the Orlando area, which would mark the first time the area would experience flurries since a modest snowfall of 0.05 ince in January 1977.

Earlier this December, another unexpected drop in temperatures led to the Walt Disney World Resort’s Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon park closing – which diehard fans at the ‘Inside the Magic’ location called an “unprecedented” event.

While the unexpected weather events will likely lead to further park closures and canceled or delayed flights due to ice problems, upending the travel plans of countless Americans, local meteorologists are conflicted about whether snow will come to Disney.

The Arctic blast could even mean snow for Orlando, which would be the first time the area would see flurries since a modest 0.05 inch of snowfall in January 1977. Above is a map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that shows how unusual this is. cold wave

“Remember, when it gets cold here, the atmosphere typically has no moisture in it,” said Chief Meteorologist Paul Dellegatto Tampa Bay affiliate FOX 13.

“I can’t get snow without something falling from the sky,” Dellegatto noted.

But Mark Wool, a meteorologist and warning coordinator with the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Tallahassee, said snow was still very possible.

“It’s way too early to speculate on whether it will snow,” Wool said. “The real cold stuff will arrive late next week.”

“Some models are showing the cold air and then a weak disturbance that may produce some snow,” the NWS meteorologist told the local newspaper. Tallahassee Democrat‘but there is currently no model consensus.’

“The chance is small, but it is too early to determine whether this will happen,” he said.

Freezing temperatures could reach South Florida, where Disney is located, depending on how far the Arctic blast reaches.

“This appears to be the coldest for Florida,” DaSilva said TC Palm.

The worst part of the recession could be that the annual Disney Marathon on Jan. 12 faces temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with highs in the 40s and 50s.

Expert observers of the theme park, are devoted fans with ‘Inside the magic‘, report that Florida’s infrastructure is generally unprepared for this type of cold weather.

DailyMail.com has contacted Disney World for comment.

Disney’s own transportation, such as the monorails, and park operations are no exception: “This often leads to mass cancellations, delays and closures as businesses and visitors alike scramble to adapt,” the site said.

While snow is extremely rare in Central Florida around Orlando, sleet and other inhospitable icy conditions are slightly more common.

According to the Florida Climate Centerwith an equally mild ‘dusting’ on November 21, 2006.

These types of cold blasts are so rare in the Central Florida area that one map placed it at 90 percent unlikely, meaning a one-in-10 chance of it ever happening.

Normally, winter temperatures in the Orlando area hover around 70 degrees.

Another one FOX 13 meteorologist, Valerie Millsnoted that this “extended cold track” will also impact areas of the U.S. Southeast from the Mississippi River.

Potential “freezing issues” are still possible, she said.

“We’re still going to refine this as we get closer,” Mills said, adding that the coldest days of this polar explosion are still “a whole week” away.