Fed up with sticky summer heat? When does winter start for Florida?

• Does it snow in Florida? Yes, though rare, over the years, it has happened, according to Florida newspapers.

It's July. In Florida. It's hot.

If you're wondering when will Mother Nature give us a break from the relentless, sticky heat, you'll have to wait a while and console yourself with popsicles, air-conditioning and those afternoon thunderstorms. If knowing when winter actually starts in Florida (and elsewhere) will provide some mental relief, keep reading.

When does winter 2024 start?

According to the Farmers' Almanac, the winter solstice, which marks the first day of winter 2024, starts at 4:21 a.m. EST Thursday, Dec. 21, 2024.

How long will winter 2024 last?

The Farmers' Almanac says the 2024 winter season will be from Dec. 21, 2024, to March 19, 2025. Spring starts March 20, 2025.

What does winter solstice mean?

The winter solstice marks the first official day of winter and the longest night with the fewest hours of daylight of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, this will usher in the astronomical winter, while the Southern Hemisphere will instead greet summertime with the summer solstice, according to a USA TODAY story. For example, when it’s fall in Melbourne, Florida, it’s spring in Melbourne, Australia. Australia’s seasons are at opposite times to those in the northern hemisphere — December to February is summer, March to May is autumn, June to August is winter, and September to November is spring, according to australia.com.

The extra long night and short day occur thanks to the Earth's tilt from the sun. During the winter solstice, the tilt brings the Earth to its farthest point from the sun, resulting in less sunlight, USA TODAY writes. The actual solstice only lasts moments, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, in the "exact moment when a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the sun as possible."

What did the Farmers' Almanac predict for 2024 winter season for Florida?

For the 2023-2024 winter season, editors at the Farmers' Almanac said "the BRRR is back!" and while previous winter seasons were unusually warm across the country, "winter weather is making a comeback ... traditional cool temperatures and snowy weather conditions will return to the contiguous United States."

No snow for Florida was predicted, but precipitation was mentioned for 2023-2024. "The Southeast and Florida will see a wetter-than-normal winter, with average winter temperatures overall, but a few frosts may send many shivers to snowbirds trying to avoid the cold and snow back home," the Farmers' Almanac reported.

The weather resource typically releases winter season predictions in August. In August 2024, expect to see predictions about 2024-2025 winter season.

The Farmers' Almanac, which is based in Lewiston, Maine, has released its extended weather forecast since 1818. The editors there pride themselves on using a mathematical and astronomical formula for its predictions, and over the years have been fairly accurate, to various degrees.

Does it get cold in Florida?

Typically, winter weather in Florida strikes from December to February, with the height of cold temperatures and frozen iguana warnings in January.

Does it snow in Florida?

It's rare, but it does snow in the Sunshine State. In January 2018, an unexpected winter storm in Tallahassee produced snowflakes, causing a flurry of photos and video on social media, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.

It was the first time in nearly 30 years that the city had a measurable snowfall, according to the Democrat story, but it only lasted about 20 minutes and produced a tenth of an inch.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.