ORLANDO, Fla. – Before we talk snow and extreme cold, we have to address the cranking winds we have outside right now.
There are reports coming in from areas across Central Florida of loose items and debris being lofted by the tropical storm force wind gusts we’ve been experiencing the last couple of hours, all thanks to the arctic cold front that slid across the area earlier today.
Things will only continue to worsen as we move through the next few hours together. By around 10-11 p.m., we’ll be preparing to turn the corner and start the weakening phase for these abnormally strong post-frontal winds.
Then the cold really begins to settle in on top of us. The temperature difference between our viewing area, and the panhandle/Big Bend area of Florida is ridiculous.
For example; Gainesville has seen about an 8 degree temperature drop in only two hours. The sun is still up upon writing this article for you, which means as soon as we lose its influence things are really going to freeze.
That’s what you most definitely want to be prepared for tonight and through much of your Sunday.
We’re expecting low temperatures to dip as far south as the upper teens and low twenties across the peninsula. With such roaring winds coming in out of the north and west, it’ll feel a noticeable bit chillier than that if you were to step outside.
So let’s break it down fully.
Through the rest of the evening, winds will remain very aggressive out of the northwest. Gusts will reach as high as 40-45 mph, with it holding a sustained note of approximately 20-30 mph.
As we continue towards midnight, temperatures are also going to plummet, and you definitely don’t want to be outside to feel that descent. We’ll likely see the freezing point met sometime around midnight if not sooner for our northern viewing counties like Marion, Lake, Sumter, and Flagler.
On satellite imagery today, you can quite literally see where the coldest air is, and the impacts it’s having on the clouds, moisture, and air around it.
As this comes in, we’ll be closely watching the western shores of the peninsula for the “Gulf effect”. This means, the warmer than average waters of the Gulf will try to send up some additional moisture and maybe spur onshore showers for the Tampa Bay area.
This is where you might get the chance to witness some snow as it occurs, given our air temperatures will be rapidly going to freezing and below that point. Be on the lookout anywhere from 7-10 p.m. tonight.
I will advise, computer models have backed off from what they were previously forecasting in terms of the chance for flurries by you. But the set up is absolutely still in play, and we’re waiting to see if the moisture/temperature variables will line up perfectly.
That’s what we’ll be waking up to tomorrow morning. By about 2-4 a.m., wind speeds will start to come down thankfully. But it won’t be enough to make a difference when we start Sunday.
It will feel like the low to mid teens everywhere through Central Florida. Anywhere from 10-15 degrees is what you’ll need to be prepared for if you still plan to venture out tomorrow morning.
Wind gusts will still be brisk, out of the northwest at about 20-30 mph.
It will be a hostile day in the Sunshine State, with winters full effect blanketing us through the first day of February.
There is some hope though if you stick with me. While Sunday to its entirety will be cold, windy, and downright uncomfortable, Monday we’ll start to see the warm up begin.
Our high’s will make it into the 50s during the warmest portion of the afternoon, and Tuesday will look even better for Floridians.
Wednesday we’ll welcome a reinforcing dose of polar air, nothing as extensive as what we’re in the trenches dealing with currently. It should provide us with some rainfall as it works in as well.
Plan for a chilly first weekend of February before we start to climb the ropes towards 70 degree territory once again approaching Valentines Day.
So for those of you with date day or date night plans, we just have to get through this winter onslaught and then we can enjoy the true reason why we live in Central Florida.