Tampa Bay Braces for Weekend Cold Front After Brief Warm-Up

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay residents enjoyed a brief reprieve from chilly weather Friday as temperatures climbed into the 70s, but forecasters warn a cold front will bring cooler conditions and scattered showers this weekend.

FOX 13 Meteorologist Jim Weber reported afternoon highs reached the 70-degree mark across much of the region Friday, the first time since Monday. The average high for Jan. 10 in Tampa is 71 degrees. However, temperatures dropped to the upper 50s Friday night, with lower 60s in southern areas as cloud coverage increased.

A winter storm system affecting the southern and Midwestern U.S. will push a cold front into Florida on Saturday, bringing rainfall to the Bay Area by morning. “The cold front pushes to our south, and some cooler air will start to work its way in,” Weber said.

Saturday’s high temperatures will barely surpass the morning lows, reaching only the low-to-mid 60s with scattered showers. While skies will clear slightly on Sunday, isolated showers may persist into Monday. Below-average temperatures are expected to continue through next week, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s, potentially dropping even further north of Tampa.

Another system passing through Thursday will bring additional rain chances, with scattered showers and possible storms forecast for the weekend. Despite warmer highs in the low-to-mid 70s, the region will remain unsettled as cooler air dominates the forecast.