Tampa Bay Area Braces for Cold Snap, Brief Warmup Before Next Front

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay area is experiencing a prolonged cold snap, with temperatures staying well below average for the third consecutive day on Thursday. Morning lows dropped into the 30s and 40s, while afternoon highs struggled to reach 60 degrees despite abundant sunshine, according to FOX 13 Meteorologist Jim Weber.

Residents can expect another chilly morning on Friday, with lows near freezing in northern zones and in the 40s closer to the coast. However, a brief warmup is expected Friday afternoon, with temperatures climbing to near 70 degrees. This is still slightly below the average high of 71 degrees for this time of year.

The warmer temperatures won’t last long. A winter storm system moving toward the southeastern U.S. will drag another cold front over Florida by Saturday. Weber predicts a 50% chance of rain in the Bay Area on Saturday, with some showers lingering into Sunday. “We’ll see the rain start to push in, as well,” Weber said. “And it looks like some of this is going to linger into Sunday.”

Highs are expected to remain in the lower 60s into next week, continuing the trend of cooler-than-average temperatures. Meteorologists advise residents to prepare for fluctuating conditions, including cold mornings, brief warmups, and potential rainfall over the weekend.