Southwest Florida is about to get an early taste of fall. After weeks of hot, humid and stormy weather, an early season cold front will sweep through the region Friday, bringing a noticeable change in temperatures, humidity and rain chances just in time for the weekend.
A Rare September Chill
Morning temperatures will tumble into the upper 60s to low 70s this weekend, with some inland locations potentially dipping into the mid to upper 60s. For Fort Myers, lows are forecast to fall near 69 degrees Sunday and Monday, a major departure from the recent stretch of muggy mornings. Afternoon highs will remain in the mid to upper 80s, but much lower humidity and abundant sunshine will make the weekend feel noticeably different.
If temperatures fall into the 60s Saturday morning, it would be an unusually early occurrence for Southwest Florida. Based on Fort Myers climate records, the last time morning temperatures reached the 60s this early was Sept. 26, 2008, 17 years ago. That makes this more than just a brief cool down. For late September in Southwest Florida, it represents a significant change in the weather pattern.
This cold front is early for Southwest Florida
Cold fronts are not unusual in Florida during the fall, but the timing of the season’s first strong front can vary considerably from year to year.
The historical data shown above puts the average first strong front around October 10. That puts this weekend’s front on the early side of the historical pattern for Southwest Florida. A strong front arriving in late September is earlier than the October 10 average, making the timing stand out even though cold fronts themselves are a normal part of Florida’s fall weather.
A taste of fall, but it is not here to stay
The cooler, drier air will linger into Sunday and Monday, with rain chances remaining much lower than what Southwest Florida has become accustomed to during the summer months. But the fall like pattern won’t last forever. Temperatures will begin to moderate early next week, with highs climbing back toward the upper 80s and morning lows gradually returning to the low 70s.
Still, this weekend will provide one of the most noticeable breaks from summer that Southwest Florida has experienced so far this season. After a long stretch of heat, humidity and afternoon storms, fall is making an early appearance across Southwest Florida.