***Sub-freezing temperatures forecast as far south as the Florida Everglades....***

In the wake of yesterday’s weather system, strong high pressure stretching from Canada to the Gulf coast will build into the state today. Breezy winds today will decrease after sunset as high pressure moves eastward. Nighttime temperatures are expected to drop rapidly and drop below freezing by midnight across much of North Florida away from the coast.

Sub-freezing temperatures are expected to occur tonight across all of North Florida as well as interior areas of Central and South Florida. As a result, Freeze Warnings have been issued for eastern counties of Northeast Florida, the Nature Coast, interior West Central Florida generally between I-75 and US-27, and interior South Florida areas, including inland Collier and inland Palm Beach counties. Durations of sub-freezing temperatures are expected to range about 2-4 hours across Central and South Florida, with brief durations of less than 2 hours possible across inland areas of East Central Florida, and range from 3-7 hours across eastern Northeast Florida.

Low temperatures could reach as low as 24 degrees across portions of the Suwannee Valley, Florida Panhandle and Florida Big Bend tonight. Sub-freezing temperatures will likely range from 4-8 hours across these areas, but some of the normally colder locations could be below freezing for as long as 10-12 hours. This duration and intensity of cold temperatures could pose a danger to pipes, plants, pets and people without adequate shelter. As a result, Hard Freeze Watches and Warnings are in effect for the Suwannee Valley north of Marion and Levy County and west of Baker and Bradford Counties, as well as the entire Florida Big Bend and eastern Florida Panhandle. Temperatures over the western Panhandle will reach the upper 20s tonight.

Otherwise, temperatures tonight will be in the mid 30s to mid 40s across much of East Central Florida and coastal areas of mainland South Florida, but north winds around 5-10mph could produce wind chill values in the upper 20s or lower 30s.

Amy Godsey, State Meteorologist
Florida Division of Emergency Management