Weekend Blast of Arctic Air Could Bring More Record Lows

If you think it is cold now across the southern U.S., wait until you see what Mother Nature has in store in the days ahead. A second and more potent shot of Arctic air is waiting in the wings, threatening to bring the coldest temperatures in over a decade to Florida and beyond. Read on for all of the details of this bone-chilling forecast.

Coldest Air of the Season Bearing Down on Florida and the East

Another blast of frigid air is going to settle over the southern U.S. by the weekend, extending as far as South Florida. Not only will this be the coldest air of the season for the Florida peninsula, but it could also be the coldest temperatures in over 15 years for some parts of the Sunshine State.

The change in the weather will feel even more dramatic for South Florida. Cities such as Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach all broke daily record highs on Monday. Conversely, these urban areas could also experience record cold temperatures by the weekend.

The surge of cold air will hit Florida on Saturday, peaking on Sunday and Monday before starting to rebound on Tuesday. How cold will it get? Northern Florida is bracing for temperatures in the teens early Sunday. Orlando will wake up to temperatures in the 20s and 30s, necessitating that theme park goers pack their winter clothes. Sunday's highs will struggle to climb out of the 40s on Sunday in central Florida, with breezy conditions amplifying the chill in the air.

The chance of light snow is also in the cards for northern Florida on Saturday night. The slight chance of snow could dip as far as Tampa Bay, speaking to the rarity of this winter weather.

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Melbourne issued "hard freeze" warnings for both Sunday and Monday mornings. Residents in the impact zone should take care to protect vulnerable plants and pipes.