Cold Front Heading for Florida to Bring Coldest Air of the Season

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Freezing temperatures are expected to hit residents in North Florida this week, while the rest of the state will see lows in the 40’s and 50’s.

Forecasters at the National Weather Center are predicting low temperatures this week as a cold front passes over the state, bringing some of the most frigid air of the season so far. Temperatures are expected to dip into the low 30s near Tallahassee and low 60s near Miami on Tuesday night. 

As the cold blast of air moves through late Monday night, winds are expected to increase up to 10-15 mph along the coastline. Floridians will feel the coldest temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday where afternoon highs will reach the low 60s north of Polk County.

On average, the Sunshine State has the mildest winter in the Continental U.S., but a substantial climate pattern may bring cooler, wetter weather this winter.

Forecasters say the El Niño effect this year is warming the Pacific Ocean and disrupting upper air patterns as trade winds weaken. The effect causes the jet stream – narrow bands of strong wind that blow from west to east across the globe – to move further south, inviting colder air across Florida. According to forecasters, El Niño has a 95 percent chance of remaining in place through March 2024.

El Niño is also considered a buffer from tropical cyclones during hurricane season. With only four days left in the 2023 hurricane season, forecasters say the tropics are clear and no storm development exists.