TAMPA, Fla. – Residents across the Tampa Bay area and most of Florida should prepare for a major weather shift this weekend as a blast of arctic air moves into the region.
While Friday started with some light frost, the afternoon will stay fairly mild with a high near 70 degrees. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) warns that this is just a brief window of warmth before a significant cold front arrives.
The weather will start to change early Saturday morning.
There is about a 30 percent chance of rain as clouds move in, and temperatures will struggle to reach 57 degrees. The real story on Saturday is the wind. Strong gusts up to 33 mph are expected, which will make the air feel like it is in the 30s for most of the day.
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Saturday night is when the most dangerous cold arrives. Temperatures are predicted to drop to 28 degrees across much of the Bay Area.
Because the wind will stay strong, the “feels like” temperature—or wind chill—could hit a bone-chilling 18 degrees. This kind of cold can be hard on people, pets, and tropical plants that aren’t used to freezing weather.
Sunday will be clear and sunny, but it won’t be warm. Highs will only reach about 46 degrees, and the wind will continue to bite. Another freeze is expected Sunday night with lows once again hitting 28 degrees.
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Things will start to feel a bit more like Florida by the middle of next week.
While Monday and Tuesday mornings will still have frost on the ground, the afternoons will gradually warm up. By Wednesday, the sun should push temperatures back toward 70 degrees.
Until then, officials suggest checking on neighbors and making sure outdoor pipes and plants are covered.
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