A weather system moving into Florida this weekend is expected to bring record-cold temperatures to much of the state and even the possibility of snow flurries along the Gulf Coast, forecasters said. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s a 10 to 20 percent chance of snow flurries along much of the state\u2019s central west coast down into Southwest Florida late Saturday into Sunday, the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay posted to X<\/a>. The flurries could start around 10 or 11 p.m. could possibly fall until about 7 a.m.<\/p>\n The last time it snowed in the greater Tampa Bay area was Jan. 9, 2010, the agency said. <\/p>\n This weekend\u2019s potential gulf-effect snow is similar to the lake-effect snow that falls up north when much colder air moves over warm water.<\/p>\n During Florida’s weekend\u2019s cold front, the gulf\u2019s moist air could rise into the colder air moving in. Because the colder air can\u2019t hold much moisture, it falls as precipitation \u2014 which could be snow, if it\u2019s cold enough, Bay News 9 said<\/a>. <\/p>\n Those expecting a winter wonderland might be disappointed, though. <\/p>\n \u201cWe do not expect this to stick to the ground,\u201d the NWS said. <\/p>\n The air might be too dry for snow to hit the ground at all, Bay News 9 said. \u201cIn the most ideal situation for gulf-effect snow this weekend, some isolated snow flurries are possible early Sunday morning before sunrise. If they happen, it likely won\u2019t last long.\u201d<\/p>\n There are some good signs for those \u201crooting for snow flurries near Tampa Bay,\u201d though, WFLA\u2019s Jeff Berardelli wrote in a social media post<\/a>. <\/p>\n As of Wednesday around 10 p.m., the Global High-Resolution Atmospheric Forecasting system clearly showed gulf-effect bands setting up already by Saturday at 7 p.m., which is when that particular model ended, he wrote. <\/p>\n \u201cUpper level temps are already plenty cold for snow. Surface temps are just a touch too warm (but plummeting) so it shows coastal rain showers. But surface temps won\u2019t need to be freezing\u2026 really all that is needed is temps to drop to [36 to 38 degrees] for wet flakes to fly because temps at [2,000 to 5,000 feet] up are 10-15 [degrees] below freezing. By late evening it will be cold enough at the surface in some spots.\u201d<\/p>\n