Temperatures plunge just in time for the weekend in Florida. The cold front that pushed through Thursday will not bring much change, but a quick-moving front will sweep through on Friday, opening the gates for the drier and colder air to set up camp across the state. Thursday’s front developed a few rain showers across North and Central Florida that will continue to push south, but the rain has fizzled out. The front is losing its punch; therefore, a temperature cooldown will not happen on Friday.
The next front, which will push through the state quickly on Friday, is not expected to bring showers or thunderstorms. However, it will allow much drier air to sink in. We also expect a significant temperature decrease just before the weekend starts. Friday starts foggy with dense patches that could again limit visibility, just as they did on Thursday morning across much of Florida.
A weekend with temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees below average.
Across North Florida and the Panhandle, the temperatures will fall quickly on Friday evening as cooler air is expected to arrive first over this area. By Saturday morning, temperatures will be in the mid to upper 30s along the I-10 corridor from Pensacola to Jacksonville. The Gainesville area's temperatures will be steady at nearly 40° F on Saturday morning, and they will struggle to reach the mid-50s across the state's northern half on Saturday. Colder air will settle in place for Sunday morning. Temperatures will be between the low to mid-30s across the Panhandle and mid-30s to low 40s across North Florida. Expected temperatures will rebound on Monday as the high-pressure system moves eastward and the winds shift, coming in mainly from the east. We expect the cloud coverage to increase, especially along Florida's East Coast, on Tuesday. A trough is closer to the state from the east.
Central Florida
A similar setup is in place for Central Florida. The colder air will settle on Sunday morning. From Tampa along the I-4 corridor through Orlando to Daytona Beach, the morning will be in the low to mid-40s. Expect low temperatures in the upper 30s across urban areas on Sunday morning. The weekend will be mostly sunny, with high temperatures around the mid-50s. On Sunday, the highest temperatures will rebound nicely and reach the low to mid-60s.
It will remain windy all weekend, and marine conditions will be dangerous along both coasts. Small craft advisories should know that seas will be high and dangerous to navigate. There will also be a high risk of rip currents, so swimmers are advised to stay off the water.
South Florida will also get some cold weather!
South Florida will also feel a significant decrease in temperatures. Highs will be in the low 80s for Miami Dade on Friday but will remain around the upper 60s on Saturday and in the lower 70s on Sunday. Humidity will be delightfully low and comfortable.
Expect Southwest Florida to be a tad cooler than Southeast Florida, with highs in the 60s on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Sunday morning will be the coldest night for the region. Cities across Southwest Florida will wake up with temperatures around the mid-40s by sunrise, while the metro areas along Southeast Florida, from West Palm Beach to Miami-Dade, will be in the low 50s.
Again, this weekend will be windy for all of South Florida. Seas could reach up to 7 feet, and the winds will mainly be between 15 and 20 knots from the east. Small craft advisories could be put in place throughout this weekend.
