Along with the roller coaster of temperatures, the weekend will start with the risk of severe storms that will move mainly from west to east along the Florida Peninsula and likely reach parts of North Florida by Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, the threat of severe weather will lose its strength as it moves east. Nonetheless, residents from Tallahassee through Jacksonville and perhaps the Gainesville area should monitor the storms closely on Sunday morning through Sunday afternoon as there could still be a few thunderstorms that could develop damaging winds and the risk of a tornado.
On Saturday, the risk will mainly focus on the western portion of the peninsula. From Pensacola through Panama City, Beach is at a slight risk for severe weather, including damaging wind gusts that could reach 75 mph and a few tornadoes, after sunset on Saturday, and the risk increases late at night. This severe weather threat is a cold front associated with an extensive low-pressure system traveling just south of the Great Lakes area and pushing over the southeast. The low-pressure system will bring winter weather and powerful wind gusts across the Great Lakes area, the northeast, and through the southeast.
At first, the winds will be mainly out of the south-southwest, guaranteeing that the temperatures will be toasty across the southern half of the Peninsula on Saturday afternoon. The rain will start to affect parts of the western portion of the Panhandle around the Pensacola area after midnight on Sunday. Remember that the severe weather will likely affect parts of the I-10 corridor from just west of Tallahassee through Pensacola overnight. It’s essential to have at least three ways of receiving weather alerts, especially during nighttime.
Nighttime tornadoes are twice as deadly as daytime tornadoes.
As the front moves eastward, he should reach the Panama City area by sunrise on Sunday, which is still likely to spark a few severe thunderstorms. Around midday on Sunday, the front should be east of Tallahassee and entering the North Florida region. By this time, there will be more isolated storms, with one or two having a chance of becoming severe.
The front will not come with a punch for the rest of the state. In fact, by Sunday afternoon, only a few showers will be affecting Central Florida from Daytona through the Tampa Bay Area. Still, the thunderstorms will stay mainly offshore over the Atlantic. By Sunday afternoon, the front will be weakened even further, and the chances of rain will be lower across South Florida, with only a few scattered showers pushing through the region.
This front will bring down temperatures across the entire state by the beginning of the week. Temperatures are not expected to plunge dramatically but will come closer to average values for this time of year. Breezy conditions across the Peninsula are scheduled throughout the weekend. By Monday morning, the wind will be mainly out of the north-northeast, providing dry air and comfortable humidity. Strong winds in the marine sector could make the sea dangerous, especially on the eastern coast of Florida.
