(Image: Satellite Imagery at 11am shows approaching conditions from the west)In a nutshell, enjoy today...while it lasts. Some nice little breaks in the clouds right now (as I type at 12 pm) over east Central Florida from Titusville and points south...but that won't last for long. A strong cold front is approaching the state today...which will put an end to any hopes of spring being right around the corner for quite some time.
TODAY: High temperature could reach the mid-70s from a Melbourne on the east coast to inland of Naples on the west coast and points south line...low 70s along the east side of the state south of Titusville but cooler the further west and north one goes ...It seems a weak warm frontal type boundary passed overhead and will remain just to the north from Volusia on the east coast to just south of Crystal River on the west coast for the remainder of the day.
Accompanying that boundary was some Virga (rain evaporating before it reaches the ground) from Canaveral over toward Orlando which was evident on Tampa's radar scope...but that has since moved on. The wind is gusting out of the south to over 20mph across much of the southern part of the state..and those winds will be realized more locally by 2pm ahead of the approaching COLD front. And I do mean COLD in every way. As we work into the mid afternoon a rain shield currently approaching the west coast near Tampa (and already over land north of there) will be moving in. First hitting the Tampa area, then Orlando...then eventually all of Brevard (north part first then working south with time) by 3-5pm. At first the rain will evaporate before reaching the ground..but it should become felt by 5-6pm. Totally overcast conditions will precede the rainshowers...as will gradually increasing winds out of the SSW-SW by late afternoon. If one has stuff to do outside..."Get'r Done" before sunset if along the east coast and north of Melbourne. Areas further south of a Sarasota to Brevard/Indian River County line could hold off on rain until after sunset. Lucky dogs.
TONIGHT-TOMORROW: The warmest of temperatures for Wednesday will occur during its first hour...i.e. midnight -1am...as was mentioned yesterday. Then it's Bombs Away for the mercury on the thermometer. The cold front will have cleared the entire state by sunrise. Continued cloudy until right after FROPA (frontal passage) as strong NW winds harbor in the cold/much drier air. Cold wind chills will definitely be a factor ALL DAY tomorrow with a high probably we will not be getting out of the low 50s. I wonder if the Atlas will be able to launch from Pad 41 in the morning?! I'm giving it a "no go" due to winds.
THURSDAY: Very cold all day. Won't be surprised to hear freeze advisories being issued as far south as Okeechobee in the interior portions of the state and especially from Orlando north for all areas. Extreme East Central Florida should escape a freeze though..with a low near 40 degrees. But west of the Banana River toward Cocoa expect a rapid drop off into the low-mid 30s by 3am....with continued breezy conditions. Actually, the wind might be the saving grace from getting to freezing from Orlando-South. If one has plants to protect..I'd start today in whatever procedure you probably have already established. We're getting good at that this year, unfortunately.
FRIDAY: Another cold start to the day...with only a minor rebound in temperatures. Still don't think we'll see 60s though...even though another system will be winding up in the Gulf and approaching the area. This low has been shown for two days now (by the GFS model) to track across the Southern part of the state..and the latest run depicts this even more so..even further south in fact. Pretty darned unusual.
Expecting a cold rain to be induced by weak isentropic lift ahead of the low across much of Central Florida by late afternoon with temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. Because dry air will already be in place..the rain may actually evaporate before reaching the ground...but feel that it eventually will. Timing on this possibility will most assuredly need to be refined as the time draws nigh. I was actually wondering if we'll be hearing reports of sleet at sometime during the late Friday/Saturday "event"...but so far I think we'll be okay on that one.
FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY: Regardless of where the low pressure crosses the state and just exactly when..it looks like pretty much a guarantee that with its passage we will again be greeted by a reinforcing cold blast straight from our good neighbors in Canada to last until at least Monday.
I blame it all on the Canadians. Apparently they are very efficient packers...because they've remembered to bring the weather with them. Where's a Hawaiian when you need one?!
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