After a mild Christmas, the start of the first full week of 2022 will bring a refreshing touch of winter to the greater Tampa Bay region — once a chance of rain passes through the area.
A cold front that was moving southeast across the Big Bend area overnight is forecast to pass through the Tampa Bay area later in the morning, according to the National Weather Service.
That cold front is expected to produce showers before yielding to brisk winds out of the north and northwest — and much cooler and drier air into Tuesday, forecasters say.
WEATHER: Radar images and forecasts for your area
It also brought a dusting of snow to parts of the Florida Panhandle on Monday, according to a tweet from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
Well how’s this for a temperature change?
— OkaloosaSheriff (@OCSOALERTS) January 3, 2022
From 75 degrees at 3 in the afternoon to snow at 3 am captured during patrol in the Lowe’s parking lot on Beal by B-Shift Central!
Bundle up out there! 🥶⭐️🆒 @NWSMobile #Florida #weather #snow #patrol #deputies #floridalife pic.twitter.com/xOKgZQElmi
Highs on Monday are forecast to reach only the mid 60s across the Tampa Bay area, and even cooler along the Nature Coast. Lows could fall as low as the upper 30s in some areas across Tampa Bay.
A small craft advisory is in effect at least through Monday and coastal waters are at risk of strong rip currents through at least Tuesday afternoon as the front passes through, producing gusty winds and rough seas, forecasters say.
The chilly conditions will be short-lived, however, as temperatures are forecast to rebound into the low 70s on Tuesday before the next cold front brings another chance of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday.
