Update, January 14, 2023, 3 PM:
Additional counties have been added to the winter alerts issued by the National Weather Service. See below for areas under Freeze Warnings and Frost Advisories as of 3 PM Saturday:
Freeze Warning: Hamilton, Suwannee, Gilchrist, Levy, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Marion, Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Citrus, Hernando, Interior Pasco, Interior Hernando, Lake, Sumter, Interior Volusia, Interior Hillsborough, Polk, Osceola, Okeechobee, Hardee, De Soto, Highlands, Glades, Hendry
Frost Advisory: Coastal Volusia, Orange, Seminole, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Margin, Palm Beach, Interior Broward, Interior Miami-Dade, Mainland Monroe, Interior Collier
Update, January 14, 2023:
Winter alerts have been issued by National Weather Service Offices for the following counties. They will be valid overnight Saturday through mid-morning Sunday:
Freeze Warning:
- In North Florida: Hamilton, Suwannee, Gilchrist, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Marion, Nassau, Interior Duval, Putnam, Interior St. Johns, Interior Flagler
- In South Florida: Glades and Hendry
Freeze Watch: Coastal Duval, Coastal St. Johns, Coastal Flagler, Sumter, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, interior Pasco, Northwestern Volusia, Northern Lake
Frost Advisory: Palm Beach, Interior Collier, Interior Broward, Interior and Southern Miami-Dade, Mainland Monroe
Interests are advised to take appropriate actions to keep life and property safe in the cold. Cover and bring in sensitive plants, bring in outdoor pets or provide them with warm shelter. In addition, if you are using space heaters, fireplaces, firepits etc., please use these items safely. Additional information can be found on Florida Division of Emergency Management's Extreme Cold webpage.
Original story, published January 13, appears below:
A cold snap is on track to grip the Sunshine State this weekend. This substantial temperature drop follows immediately behind a squall line of heavy rain and few strong thunderstorms that tracked across Florida Thursday night and Friday.
Early on Friday afternoon, the squall line was approaching Miami and the Gold Coast from the west northwest. Behind it, high pressure over the Upper Midwest was strengthening and directing due northerly winds into the Tennessee Valley, Central Gulf Coast, and Southeast. Surface observations indicated that temperatures are humidity levels were already dropping over Florida’s Panhandle and northern portions of the peninsula, and this trend is expected to continue through the start of the holiday weekend.
Overnight Friday into Saturday, skies across the state should become mostly clear, which will further help temperatures to drop. By Saturday morning, lows over the Panhandle, North Florida, and portions of East-Central Florida could fall to near or below freezing, and widespread frost is expected in these areas. Farther south, lows could fall as low as the low to mid 40s. In addition, winds will likely remain gusty, and this will make conditions appear even colder. Wind chills on Saturday morning in the Panhandle and North Florida will likely fall into the mid/upper 20s and over East-Central Florida, winds chills are expected to be in the upper 20s and lower 30s. A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect from Volusia County to Palm Beach County along the Atlantic Coast.
Lows Sunday morning will more than likely be colder than Saturday morning. Temperatures could range from the mid and upper 20s over the interior Panhandle and North Florida to the upper 30s and low 40s over South Florida. By Sunday morning, however, winds should have calmed and “feels-like” temperatures should not be much lower than the actual temperature. Still, widespread freeze is likely over the Panhandle, North Florida, and portions of Central Florida. Patchy frost cannot be ruled out of the forecast for interior South Florida.
During the beginning of the coming workweek, a ridge of high pressure should build eastward, effectively cutting off the stream of cold air from higher latitudes. Both temperatures and humidity levels should increase to near average, and later in the week above average, levels.
Copyright 2023 Storm Center.A wind advisory has been issued for the region near Panama City west to Pensacola and the Central Gulf Coast and there is the potential for a few gusty thunderstorms across Central and South Florida Friday, especially closer to the Gulf of Mexico.
Behind that front, temperatures should substantially drop with lows Saturday morning could drop as low as the 30s in Central Florida, and the 40s over South Florida.
Early on Thursday, a developing storm system was pushing through the Central Plains and into the Mississippi Valley. This storm is expected to sustain a squall line of potentially dangerous thunderstorms: Those storms remain forecasted to impact the Florida Panhandle Thursday afternoon and evening.
Ahead of the squall, winds will continue to increase throughout the day Thursday. A Wind Advisory has been issued from Calhoun County west to Escambia County in Florida: This alert remains valid until 6 PM CST. Wind gusts in excess of 40 mph are possible within the advised region, and residents and visitors alike are encouraged to remain indoors and off roads as conditions continue to deteriorate.
Later today as the squall line approaches, interests in the Panhandle are urged to remain alert and seek shelter if a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Warning is issued for their area.
Copyright 2023 Storm Center. To see more, visit floridastorms.org.