One of the chilliest stretches of weather this season is expected to arrive just in time to ring in the new year.
A powerful blast of arctic air that could lead to blizzard conditions in the Midwest will plunge into Florida this week. The coldest day in Tampa Bay is likely to be Wednesday — New Year’s Eve — when morning wind chills are likely to sink into the mid-30s.
“There could be the potential for freezing conditions all the way down into portions of Pasco County,” said Austen Flannery, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office.
A freeze watch will be in effect late Tuesday into Wednesday for portions of Hernando County and northward, along with north-central areas of the state, according to the National Weather Service.
The cold weather was expected to filter into Tampa Bay overnight Monday. Across the area, residents can expect Tuesday’s highs to reach only into the low 60s.
Wednesday morning is likely to be face-numbingly cold.
In Tampa, the early morning temperature will be around 39 degrees, according to a weather service graphic. Inland areas will likely drop into the low 30s.
Flannery said Pinellas County and areas closer to the water won’t be as chilly. On Wednesday, the low in St. Petersburg will likely be around 45 degrees.
Wednesday morning could be slightly windy, leading to wind chills in the mid-30s in parts of Tampa Bay. Inland areas, like Lakeland, could experience feels-like temperatures in the upper 20s.
New Year’s Eve night will remain chilly. Around midnight, the mercury will be in the low 50s and upper 40s, according to Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather.
The colder air is not too far off from typical late-December weather, Flannery said.
“We’ve been spoiled this year by above-normal temperatures that have just been very pleasant, but this is just going to bring us back down to what is closer to normal — maybe a tad below normal,” Flannery said.
Meteorologists expect winds will taper off throughout Wednesday. By Thursday, temperatures will moderate, and by the weekend, the mercury is expected to reach into the 70s in Tampa.
Flannery warned that the coldest conditions could lead to hypothermia. He advised that those who are outside for a long period should dress warmly.
“Hypothermia is not something we talk about very often in Florida, but with temperatures like what we’re looking at … that is a very real possibility,” Flannery said.
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