ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is now firmly on the cold side of a powerful winter weather pattern that continues to impact much of the eastern United States.
A strong cold front that pushed through Monday opened the door to an Arctic air mass reinforced by a large, unusually strong area of high pressure spreading south from the Deep South. This setup is expected to lock in a week-long cold stretch with multiple mornings of freeze and frost concerns.
Afternoon highs in the Orlando area from Tuesday through Thursday will struggle to reach the upper 50s and lower 60s, which is about 10-20 degrees below normal, despite all of the sunshine overhead.
Multiple Freezing Mornings
Freeze Warnings remain in effect for inland areas, with Freeze Watches expanding through Thursday morning to include much of interior Central Florida.
With temperatures holding near- to below-freezing for several hours, frost and freeze formation will be possible.
Make sure to take the necessary precautions to protect pets, plants and property.
Friday
Some moderation is expected by Friday as temperatures try to warm into the mid-60s, offering only a brief break before the next phase of this cold pattern arrives.
Weekend: Increasing Risk
Confidence is growing that a strong Nor’easter will develop along the East Coast this weekend.
As that system rapidly intensifies and pulls away, it is expected to drag another surge of Arctic air southward into Florida. This setup favors a renewed blast of cold air beginning Saturday night and lasting into early next week.
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The current outlook shows temperatures falling into the 20s across much of inland Central Florida by Sunday morning, with an increasing risk of a hard freeze.
Wind chills could dip into the teens, values rarely experienced in this region.
High temperatures on Sunday may struggle to escape the 40s for many locations, making this one of the coldest air masses to affect Central Florida in decades.
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