An iguana is seen laying on the ground in a neighborhood as temperatures dip into the 30s as a cold front makes its way across South Florida on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Photo by Matias J. Ocner
mocner@miamiherald.com
Miami woke up to temperatures in the 30s Sunday — enough to break a 117-year-old record.
The temperature at Miami International Airport at 6:53 a.m., which registered as 35.1 degrees with a wind chill of 27, beat the previous Feb. 1 record low of 36, set in 1909.
While South Florida didn’t get any snow, there were flurries in other parts of the state, including Jacksonville, Tampa and Bradenton.
In Miami, it’ll get cold again in the overnight hours from Sunday to Monday, with a low of about 36 degrees and wind chill bringing it down to about 31.
Here’s a look at how South Florida fared on a frigid Sunday:
People visit the beach in heavy coats as a cold snap descends on S. Florida during their visit to Miami Beach’s Art Deco District.Temperatures in South Florida dipped overnight as the polar vortex brought an Arctic blast and cold air. With a high of 56 degrees, residents and visitors swapped shorts, bikinis, and activewear for hoodies, sweaters, and jackets on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
An iguana is seen laying on the ground in a neighborhood as temperatures dip into the 30s as a cold front makes its way across South Florida on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
South Florida resident Stephanie DeFrancesco runs with her son, Ari Sella, bundled up against the cold at the Newport Fishing Pier in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Miami-area temperatures dipped into the 30s, the coldest in more than 15 years. Photo by David Santiago dsantiago@miamiherald.com
People walk, dine, and visit the beach as a cold snap descends on S. Florida during their visit to Miami Beach’s Art Deco District.Temperatures in South Florida dipped overnight as the polar vortex brought an Arctic blast and cold air. With a high of 56 degrees, residents and visitors swapped shorts, bikinis, and activewear for hoodies, sweaters, and jackets on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
An iguana is seen laying on the ground in a neighborhood as temperatures dip into the 30s as a cold front makes its way across South Florida on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Pembroke Pines, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Tourists walk on Ocean Drive as a cold snap descends on S. Florida during their visit to Miami Beach’s Art Deco District.Temperatures in South Florida dipped overnight as the polar vortex brought an Arctic blast and cold air. With a high of 56 degrees, residents and visitors swapped shorts, bikinis, and activewear for hoodies, sweaters, and jackets on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
South Florida resident Manuel Veitia tosses a fish to a pelican after cutting it at Newport Fishing Pier on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. Miami-area temperatures dipped into the 30s, the coldest in more than 15 years. Photo by David Santiago dsantiago@miamiherald.com
South Florida resident Stephanie DeFrancesco runs with her son, Ari Sella, as they bundle up against the cold on the beach in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Miami-area temperatures dipped into the 30s, the coldest in more than 15 years. Photo by David Santiago dsantiago@miamiherald.com
Ryan Romero of Naples, Fla., reacts as waves crash against the jetty near the Bal Harbour Lighthouse on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Bal Harbour, Fla. Miami saw temperatures drop into the 30s, the coldest in more than 15 years. Photo by David Santiago dsantiago@miamiherald.com
Cabaret performer makes it rain with donated dollar bills during a lip sync performance at the popular Palace Bar and Restaurant during its drag brunch. Tourists react as they dined, cheered, and walked while a cold snap descended on S. Florida during their visit to Miami Beach’s Art Deco District.Temperatures in South Florida dipped overnight as the polar vortex brought an Arctic blast and cold air. With a high of 56 degrees, residents and visitors swapped shorts, bikinis, and activewear for hoodies, sweaters, and jackets on Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
A woman walks along the beach bundled up against the cold in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Miami-area temperatures dipped into the 30s, the coldest in more than 15 years. Photo by David Santiago dsantiago@miamiherald.com
Follow More of Our Reporting on An inside look at Miami
Peter Dolara is the American Airlines’ Senior Vice President for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, and also handlies operations at MIA.
PATRICK FARRELL
Peter J. Dolara, a towering figure in Latin American aviation often credited as a driving force behind Miami’s rise as a global gateway, died on Saturday at age 87.
Known as a “legendary figure” whose vision reshaped American Airlines’ presence throughout the hemisphere, Dolara spent more than four decades with the company and became one of its most influential leaders, CEO Robert Isom said in a statement.
“He was integral to the growth of our Miami hub and Latin America network, and American would not be what it is today without his vision and leadership,” Isom said.
Widely known as “El Jefe” to the countless employees he mentored, he helped build Miami into American’s premier hub for travel to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America.
“The entire American Airlines team mourns the passing of Peter Dolara,” Isom said.
Dolara’s career at American began in 1971, when he joined the airline’s Eastern Division in New York, the airline said. He rose through the ranks, taking on key sales roles before being named vice president of Atlantic/Caribbean and New York Sales in 1984. Five years later, he was promoted to senior vice president.
Even before relocating to Miami, Dolara helped engineer one of American’s most consequential moves: the 1990 acquisition of Eastern Airlines’ Central and South America routes, “which ensured American would be the preeminent U.S. carrier in the region for decades to come,” the airline said in a statement.
When he moved to Greater Miami in 1992, he assumed leadership of the airline’s Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America operations.
“Today, American proudly stands as Miami’s Hometown Airline, offering an industry-leading network to MCLA and employing the largest private workforce in Miami-Dade County — 15,500 team members who embody the vibrant spirit of Miami and our deep connection to the MCLA region,” said Juan Carlos Liscano, American’s vice president of Miami International Airport operations.
“None of these would have been possible without Peter, who paved the way for our success in Miami. We lost a true visionary today, but his influence on our airline and the Miami community will endure forever. “
Milena Malaver covers crime and breaking news for the Miami Herald. She was born and raised in Miami-Dade and is a graduate of Florida International University. She joined the Herald shortly after graduating.
Watch out, Brightline. There’s a new cheap and fast way for travelers to get from Orlando to Miami and back.
Avelo Airlines, a low-cost airline, is now offering nonstop service between Orlando and Miami. The company is testing the route between Orlando International Airport and Miami International Airport, starting at $46 one way. The flight is just over an hour long.
The service begins June 7 and will operate on Fridays and Sundays through Aug. 18.
Avelo Airlines is now the third carrier offering service to Miami from MCO.
Other travel options currently available include Spirit Airlines, which flies directly to Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, or the Brightline train, which costs anywhere from $39 to $89 one-way. The Brightline route to Miami takes approximately three hours and 30 minutes.
Avelo Airlines is based in Houston and operates at 10 airports in the state including South Florida’s three international airports in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Miami.
“Orlando — Avelo is growing again! We’re excited to announce exclusive nonstop service to Miami,” Avelo Airlines Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said in a statement. “Our MCO base continues to be an exciting platform for growth for Avelo as we add another exciting destination for Orlando-area residents. Avelo’s combination of low fares, industry-leading reliability and travel-friendly service continues to inspire more people from across Central Florida to travel.”
Exports from Paine Field adjacent to Boeing’s manufacturing complex outside of Seattle and included … [+] with data from the Port of Everett, once dominated all other airports. Through August, it is accounting for 4.8% of the total in 2022.
ustradenumbers.com
Boeing BA stock got a little lift on Friday on the potential for good news.
The bump was based on the hopes that the beleaguered airline might beat out rival Airbus for a possible contract for more than 100 United widebody jets.
After a bumpy ride the last several years — two fatal crashes and a global pandemic — Boeing could use a “good” bump.
Regardless which one of the world’s two dominate aircraft manufacturers wins the contract, presuming it comes to fruition — Chicago-based Boeing or the European consortium Airbus — something will happen this year that has not not happened in decades.
The United States will almost certainly see the primary aircraft category, the one that includes Boeing jets, fall to a No. 4 rank in 2022.
That, to my knowledge, has not happened for decades. Prior to the release of 2021 data earlier this year, the category had ranked first among more than 1,200 categories in 14 of the previous 17 years. It ranked second the other three.
Boeing, as the overwhelmingly dominant force in the aviation category, has long been the poster child for American exports, a sign of American might.
The big three energy exports — refined petroleum, oil and natural gas — now all outrank the … [+] commercial aircraft category.
ustradenumbers.com
The third was about refined petroleum, the top export, followed by one on oil, which ranks second, and natural gas, which includes LNG and ranks third.
The good news, short of any announcement by United, is that exports in the primary aviation category, which includes jets and parts, is showing an increase this year, up 14.85%.
That’s slower growth than overall U.S. exports, which are up 20.74%. And well below the increase for high-flying refined petroleum, oil and natural gas, which are up 120.66%, 121.52% and 222.44%, respectively.
But considering that aircraft exports, at $56.29 billion through August, are down 31.65% from the same eight months of 2018, before the crashes and before the pandemic, the road to recovery remains long. In that same time period that aircraft exports fell almost 32%, U.S. exports have risen 23.94%.
Most severely affected in that time period among U.S. airports has been Paine Field near Seattle, which the U.S. Census Bureau includes with the Port of Everett and its ocean cargo. Paine Field is adjacent to Boeing’s manufacturing operations, an enormous complex home to the “largest building in the world.”
Aviation exports from there stood at $2.88 billion through this August, which is an increase from the same eight months last year, when the total was $1.74 billion. But for eight consecutive years, from 2012 to 2019, exports through August topped $10 billion, including three years above $15 billion and one above $19 billion.
Commercial jet and part exports from Paine Field led the nation 14 of 15 years, from 2005 through 2019. In 2020, exports from Cleveland’s Hopkins International Airport led the nation on an annualized basis. In 2021, it was Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which is on top this year as well.
Aircraft exports were riding high until 2020 and have yet to recover.
ustradenumbers.com
It appears the recovery, for Boeing and for U.S. aviation exports generally, will be underway when the numbers tied to Paine Field start rising to the top again.
At this point, it ranks No. 8, behind not only Seattle-Tacoma International Airport but also Miami International Airport, Cleveland International Airport, New Orleans International Airport, Atlanta International Airport, JFK International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
It’s been a bumpy few years for Boeing, long a stalwart performer among U.S. exports, one of the most powerful U.S. brands on the global market. It could use a “good” bump from United.
