ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s time to get your coats, blankets and those extra layers ready: Central Florida is in for an intense shot of arctic air this weekend.
The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold watch from Saturday night through Sunday afternoon for the entire region, with freeze watches in effect and hard freeze warnings likely to follow.
Temperatures are expected to plunge rapidly once the front sweeps across the area on Saturday. By Sunday morning, many locations are expected to be in the lower 20s.
Strong winds will make it feel even colder, with wind chills forecast to drop all the way down into the single digits in some locations.
[COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Which Central Florida neighborhoods will feel the freeze the most?]
Wind gusts are expected to peak between 20 to 30 mph inland and could reach as high as 40 mph along the coast.
These dangerous conditions mean it’s especially important to take precautions: bring pets indoors, cover up sensitive plants, wrap outside pipes, and keep a slow drip running on faucets. If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your pets too!
Friday is expected to be mild, with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s across the region.
Even Saturday morning begins warmer, but don’t let that fool you — as the cold front pushes through, temperatures are forecast to tumble. Scattered showers and the chance for snow flurries are possible on Saturday.
Sunday will be the coldest day overall, with a high of just 46 degrees in Orlando and most areas struggling to climb out of the 40s.
Even Monday morning is predicted to start below freezing for many, with interior lows in the upper 20s and the coast waking up to the low 30s. Warmer days are ahead, though, with temps bouncing back into the 70s by Wednesday.
Any flurries that do appear are expected to be light and brief, but if you happen to see snow at your house, don’t forget to share your photos with News 6 PinIt!
Stay updated with the latest alerts and prepare now — especially with strong winds and those biting wind chills in the forecast.
For the latest maps, updates and interactive radar, keep checking back with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com’s Pinpoint Weather team.
[WATCH BELOW: Rare extreme cold watch issued for parts of Central Florida]