question about cold weather in Florida

Last night it was 32 at 10 pm. This morning it was 27. The outside hose did not freeze at all.
It would take a quite a few days at 32 all day and night for water to start to freeze and then maybe a little bit of slush if at all.
Wind chill does not affect hoses, pipes, etc at all. Myth.

wny_pat I live in the panhandle in a little town called McDavid it 25 miles north of Pensacola. To answer your question no the panhandle is not considered tropical florida. After you get on I-75 heading south in Florida is when the environment starts to change into that. The further south you go it is like being in another country.

dodge guy wrote:
OH NO! a low of 30deg?!!! whatever shall we do!! BTW this morning it is -10 here in the Chicago suburbs (Monday is looking at a high of -10!!!!!!)

That's why I'm in Florida. I did enough time in New England to have a thorough appreciation for the cold. And now I appreciate that I'm not there! :C

My criteria from long time experience.
At 32 degrees your water won't freeze in your pipes. There is a tiny bit of of insulation that the pipes give them.
If the temp gets down to 27 and there is a high wind blowing directly on the pipes, they will freeze fairly quick. Wind chill is a big factor in how quick the pipes will freeze.
If you leave the water running, even if the temp gets down to zero, they won't freeze.

Jack L

OH NO! a low of 30deg?!!! whatever shall we do!! BTW this morning it is -10 here in the Chicago suburbs (Monday is looking at a high of -10!!!!!!)

Seriously, there will be enough warmth throughout the RV to keep things from freezing. even the ground will have enough warmth to keep the hoses from freezing. it will take some consecutive nights of below freezing, at least 28 or lower to freeze anything solid. I wouldn`t worry.

That's odd. Must be a different Florida that's being described?

I recall a stint in January (forgot the exact year but in the 70's) where myself, DW and DD went to Disney World area for a week. Seems that we arrived for one of their record cols snaps that ruined about $1.5 Billions of citrus crops that year.

The water in the puddles NEVER melted, so had to be 32* or lower the whole 7 days! Didn't stop us though as I had planned for cool weather but not freezing! Did Disney, Epcot, SeaWorld, etc. Cold but had a ball.

Going to ruffle some feathers here. Is the panhandle, where Pace is located, actually considered tropical Florida? I actually prefer the panhandle, but it can get downright cold there. Most tell people who want to go to Florida in the winter, to go south of Orlando.

We have never winterized any of our trailers in Orlando. It gets in the upper 20's now and then, but never long enough to hurt anything.

thanks all. I tend to be a worrier, but you have put my mind at ease!

iawoody2 wrote:
But not instantly.

You are correct! However, whether the water in question freezes depends on:
1. The ambient temperature. The lower the temperature, the quicker the water freezes.
2. The length of time the water is exposed to below freezing temperatures.
3. The mass of the water. The less the mass, the quicker the heat it holds is expelled, thus the quicker it freezes.
4. the wind chill factor the water is exposed to. The lower the wind chill factor, the quicker the water mass will expel its heat.

Only the OP can decide what risks he is willing to take. All it takes is one very cold, out of the ordinary weather event to do a lot damage.