The good news is the skies will be clear when the clock strikes midnight for New Year’s Eve. The bad news is that you’ll need to be bundled up if venturing outside.
The National Weather Service in Melbourne expects temperatures to drop into the upper 30s and lower 40s overnight into New Year’s Day, although it won’t be as harsh as Wednesday morning.
The region remains under a Cold Weather Advisory through 9 a.m. with temperatures from 30-37 degrees and wind chill effects dropping feels-like temps to 25-32 degrees.
Lake County and inland Volusia are under a Freeze Warning as well through 9 a.m.
Temperatures will climb during the sunny day Wednesday into the upper 50s and low 60s, which is about 12 degrees below normal, the NWS stated. Temperatures will begin to drop again in the evening.
“Lighter winds may lead to frost concerns, especially over interior rural locations. Will have to monitor the need for a potential Frost Advisory through the day today,” the NWS stated in its forecaster’s discussion. “Lighter winds will also help to reduce wind chills, though they are forecast to remain as low as the lower 30s (just above Cold Weather Advisory criteria) for most of east central Florida.”
High pressure building over the western Gulf will move eastward beginning New Year’s Day into later this week with northwesterly winds.
“While below normal temperatures will continue through Thursday, they will be on a warming trend, becoming near normal by Friday in the upper 60s to lower 70s,” the NWS stated. “Increasing coverage of scattered clouds will also help lingering cold temperatures Thursday night in the upper 30s to lower 40s warm to the mid-40s to lower 50s by Friday night.”