If you’ve lived in Central Florida long enough, you know we get our share of chilly mornings — but every once in a while, Orlando throws us a curveball. The last two days were one of those rare moments when “Sunshine State” felt like a misnomer and we all collectively wondered whether we’d accidentally woken up in Canada.
What started as a brisk forecast quickly turned into a genuine freeze event. Temperatures dipped far lower than our tropical landscaping — or our nerves — were prepared for. And like many Floridians, we learned a few lessons the hard way.
The Plant Casualties
Let’s talk about the garden. Florida plants are resilient in their own way, but they’re not built for nights that flirt with freezing. When the cold settled in, it settled deep, and by morning it was clear that several of our plants didn’t make it through the night.
Tropical varieties took the biggest hit — leaves wilted, stems darkened, and some plants simply collapsed under the shock. It’s always tough to see landscaping not even a year old struggle. Some plants may regrow from the roots once warmer weather returns, so all hope isn’t lost.
Still, it’s a reminder that even in Orlando, a little freeze prep goes a long way.
The Frozen Tankless Water Heater Saga
The bigger surprise came from something we rarely think about: the tankless hot water heater mounted outside the garage. Tankless systems are efficient and compact, but they’re also vulnerable when temperatures drop below freezing. And that’s exactly what happened.
At some point during the night, the cold was enough to freeze the unit. Waking up to no hot water is a rude shock — especially when the air outside still feels like a refrigerator. It’s one of those moments where you realize how much we take warm water for granted until it’s suddenly gone.
Thankfully, once temperatures rose, the system thawed out. But it’s a lesson learned: even in Florida, exposed plumbing needs a little protection when the forecast dips into the danger zone.
Looking Ahead
Warmer days are already on the horizon, and soon this cold spell will be just another story we tell about “that one winter when Orlando tried to be a northern city.” The plants will hopefully recover, the heater will be insulated, and life will return to its usual sunny rhythm.
But for now, we’ve earned a hot cup of tea, a cozy blanket, and maybe a little pride for making it through Florida’s version of winter survival mode.
The Johnsons 