As historic weather is breaking snowfall records across the Midwest, people in the Jacksonville area can expect frost and some freezing temperatures through the week.
That means lows from 29 to 32 degrees and wind chills in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville. There’s a hard freeze potential for inland locations Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. It also means it’s time to protect your plants and pets and wear layered clothing.
AccuWeather forecasters warn the waves of Arctic air will continue to expand south across the nation, bringing cooler conditions even into Florida.
➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location
The cold is expected to last through Jan. 12, bringing below-freezing temperatures along the Gulf Coast, AccuWeather said.
Here’s what to expect.
Weather alerts issued in Florida
How low will Florida temperatures drop this week?
“The same system that produced ice and snow across the Plains through the Mid-Atlantic will pull very cold air toward Florida,” according to the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network.
“Luckily for Florida, the cold front, although still strong, is weakening as it moves eastward. There is still the chance for some isolated intense storms on Monday, especially across the central and eastern portions of the Panhandle North Florida, through the western part of the I-4 corridor.”
Freeze watch will likely turn to freeze warnings across parts of North Florida on Monday, the network said.
“The temperatures we mark on Monday morning will be very different from those in Florida on Tuesday morning. Skies will clear on Monday night, and cold air will arrive and sink, allowing freezing temperatures to set up camp over North Florida. Temperatures in some areas will stay as low as the mid-to-upper 20s for several hours, which could cause some freezing in crops and vegetation.
“Temperatures on Wednesday morning across many places in Florida will continue to be cold. South Florida expects its coldest temperatures in nearly two years, all mornings of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
“The cold air will dominate the region, and temperatures will drop to the upper 40s across many locations, including some metro areas. This means that the most frigid temperatures in January 2024 (low-50s) will finally be beaten to match the ones we had in early winter 2023.
How cold will North Florida get?
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville is forecasting dangerously cold conditions this week.
Temperatures are expected to drop quickly Monday night, with lows forecast in the upper 20s to mid 30s. Wind chills will be in the 20s across North Florida, according to the National Weather Service Jacksonville.
“The cold wind chills as low as 25 degrees could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken,” the Weather Service said.
➤ Arctic blast is bringing cold temperatures to St. Augustine this week. Just how cold?
Jacksonville:
Will it snow in Florida later this week?
The blast of Arctic air expected in Florida is forecast to arrive Saturday, driving temperatures even lower.
“Some models hint that snow could fall in parts of the state,” the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network said.
“The last snow reported in Florida was in January 2022, in Walton County in the Panhandle. Models keep going back and forth about the wintry precipitation that made it to Florida. There will still be plenty of cold air in place that would allow colder air to sink in and form any solid — or sort of solid— precipitation, but of course, there are also several days ahead of us, and any slight increase in temperatures will likely keep all the precipitation in a liquid state.”
When was the last time Jacksonville had snow?
On Dec. 23, 1989, a freak snowstorm dropped nearly 2 inches of snow across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, bringing the city to halt just before Christmas.
Jacksonville streets and bridges began to ice over on Dec. 22, and by the next day it started to snow, shutting down much of the city.
It was the largest snowstorm in history for the Southeastern U.S. Coast.
See photos from the 1989 snowstorm in Jacksonville
Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text
What’s next?
Stay informed with the latest weather developments and news by becoming a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Expect dangerous cold conditions this week in the Jacksonville area