A strong polar cold front is moving towards Florida, bringing freezing temperatures to the State. Forecasters predict that the season’s first freeze will occur on Sunday night, with temperatures along the I-10 corridor dropping to near or below freezing.
Northern Florida cities will be hit hardest
According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the northern Florida cities like Pensacola, Jacksonville Lake City and Tallahassee will experience the coldest temperatures, with the temperatures dropping below 32 degrees. Marianna in Jackson County, is expected to be the coldest, with the temperature feeling as low as 24 degrees on Monday morning.
Temperature in Panama City
In Panama City, temperatures will feel like 25 degrees, while in other areas like Crestview, Perry, Tallahassee, Lake City, Apalachicola, and Graceville, as well as Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Horseshoe Beach, the temperature is expected to fall to between 27 and 30 degrees.
Freeze warning
With these cold temperatures, a freeze warning is expected to be issued for several locations along the I-10 corridor starting from Sunday night continuing through to Monday morning.
When was the freeze warning issued?
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), when the temperatures are expected to drop below 32 degrees for several hours within the next 24 hours, freeze warnings are issued.
What to do during freeze warning?
During a freeze warning, it is advised to bring plants indoors and take the required steps to prevent plumbing from freezing.
Freezing temperatures are temporary!
Although freezing temperatures are expected in Florida due to the polar cold front, it is temporary. According to Orlando TV station WKMG, by the end of the first week of December, temperatures are expected to return to normal levels for early December, ranging from the mid-to upper 70s.
The NWS Climate Prediction Center Issue warning
The NWS Climate Prediction Center has issued a warning about potential hard freeze that could affect the Southeast, including northern parts of Florida, southern Georgia and Alabama. The hard freeze is expected to hit early next week. The center took to social media X (formerly Twitter), and advised people to protect susceptible vegetation, and to take jackets, if they are travelling south.
A hard freeze appears likely early next week in the Southeast, including southern Georgia, Alabama, and northern Florida. Please protect susceptible vegetation, and if you are traveling south, bring your jackets! https://t.co/miSniPvsny pic.twitter.com/JsyQpRJXXK
— NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) November 25, 2024
What’s hard freeze?
When the temperatures are expected to drop below 28 degrees for at least three hours, then a hard freeze warning is issued. Hard freezes are rare and usually happen once every 10 years in the rural interior areas of South Florida. They happen even less often in coastal metropolitan areas.
What causes this cold weather?
Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli at Tampa TV station WFLA mentioned that last weekend, some parts of Florida, including areas as far south as Lake Okeechobee, experienced temperatures in the 30s. As per NWS, frost can occur when temperatures reach between 33 and 36 degrees.
Jeff further mentioned on X that this cold weather was caused by dry air, clear skies and light winds, which led to traditional cooling.
Florida cold! Pockets of 30s as far south as Lake Okeechobee last night. It’s a testament to the influence of dry air, clear skies and light winds. Radiational cooling. https://t.co/3SR31Lln0N pic.twitter.com/z5IUaKGL34
— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) November 24, 2024
Winter Storm warnings
Meanwhile, several states in the West are under winter weather warnings as heavy snow is expected in California.
Cold blast will feel like January
Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist, said to the leading daily, “The cold blast will feel like January and will deliver a significant shock to hundreds of millions of people who may have gotten used to warm conditions during much of the autumn.”
About two-thirds of the US population will be freezing
About the forecast, Florida-based meteorologist Ryan Maue shared a post on X, where he mentioned that this weekend, about two-thirds of the USA population will be freezing or colder.
Temperatures in the 20s deep in the Southeast by Monday morning.
Not brutally cold for first week of meteorological winter, but I’d call this a seasonable chill.
About 2/3 of the USA population will be freezing or colder. pic.twitter.com/t4YApPznR8
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) November 28, 2024
