Cold Weather

Temperatures across the greater Tampa Bay region will struggle to reach 70 this weekend.

A small craft advisory will be in effect during Saturday's Gasparilla festivities ahead of a cold front that will cause temperatures to plummet, prompting Tampa police to change the invasion route.

Cold weather shelters are opening in the greater Tampa Bay region this weekend as a cold front moves through.

Winds will likely be blustery across the state on Saturday afternoon and highs could run 20 degrees below normal. Some areas in the Panhandle could experience a hard freeze.

Parts of the region were under a freeze warning Monday morning. After some moderate warming this week, a cold front will send temperatures plummeting by the end of the week.

The record lowest temperature ever recorded in Key West is 41 degrees. But the weather station there was recently called on to help out with a NASA study on understanding snow bands.

A Florida Gulf Coast University associate professor and expert in climate change says warming temperatures could continue to produce conditions that caused seven tornadoes to touch down in Southwest Florida on Sunday.

The cold front has brought gusty winds to the greater Tampa Bay region and will cause temperatures to plummet Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Portions of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Sarasota counties were under a tornado warning and a Coastal Flood Statement is in effect from Tarpon Springs to the north as the front will produce powerful storms, dangerous winds and rough surf.

After a chance of rain, the front will bring brisk northerly winds and highs only in the mid 60s and lows into the 30s in some areas.

It is set to bring heavy rains, strong winds, and the threat of tornadoes on Tuesday, the official first day of winter. It will leave cooler weather ahead of Christmas.

Temperatures along the I-10 corridor fall into the 30s by Wednesday morning, leading to the potential for frost development.