Drew Dixon
An arctic cold front draping across much of the Midwest and barreling toward the East Coast is prompting Winter storm watches and freeze warnings for the next several days in North Florida from the Panhandle through the First Coast.
The National Weather Service (NWS) station at Jacksonville International Airport is already warning of frigid wind chills gripping the region from Monday night into Tuesday morning. Air temperatures are forecast to drop from as low as 36 degrees in Jacksonville to 30 degrees in Live Oak. And wind chill marks are expected to dip below 30, from 29 degrees in Jacksonville to 24 degrees in Live Oak.
A freeze warning is in effect until 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, and high temperatures won’t get out of the 40s. Another round of warnings and watches are set for Tuesday night through much of the rest of the week.
The situation is similar in the Northwest portion of Florida where the NWS station in Tallahassee is issuing similar advisories, watches and warnings.
But Tuesday night heading into Wednesday morning may be more biting when it comes to temperatures. NWS officials in Tallahassee are projecting “freezing rain” and a “mix of winter precipitation” for many counties. Forecasters are even saying “snow more likely” for the furthest Northwest Florida counties such as Jackson, Walton and Okaloosa, among others.
“Ice accumulation from freezing rain is the most impactful and significant impacts to roads, trees, powerlines (are) still possible,” the NWS advisories said.
Overnight freezing temperatures are expected to continue through Saturday morning and the frigid feel is projected to reach as far south as Ocala in that time.
The wild and brutally cold weather is expected to have an impact beyond land. Gale conditions are forecast particularly for Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with 30 mph to 40 mph winds expected. Midweek will not be a good time to be on the water.
“North winds 25 to 30 knots with gusts up to 45 knots. Seas 7 to 10 feet, occasionally to 13 feet,” the NWS marine forecast from Fernandina Beach south to St. Augustine said. “Intracoastal waters very rough. Showers. Freezing rain after midnight.”
