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Tampa Bay Will Warm Up Today But Get Cold Again Tonight

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TBO.com

Published: February 21, 2009

TAMPA - If you're feeling like snuggling under a blanket this morning, that's because the area's sheet of clouds and moisture is thin, meteorologists say.

The Bay area's temperatures dipped to 39 degrees Fahrenheit this morning and by about 9 a.m. had climbed into the low 40s. Many residents experienced frost on windshields and felt as if the air were much colder.

That's because super-dry air, clear skies and a light wind have enhanced a chilly air mass already in place, said WFLA News Channel 8 meteorologist Megan Hatton.

With low moisture in the atmosphere and no cloud cover, a phenomenon called radiational cooling occurs: All the warm energy stored in the atmosphere from the sun during the day escapes because it has no way to reflect back to Earth, Hatton said.

"It's a runaway train effect. You keep losing heat," she said. "The more moist the atmosphere is, the more moderate the temperature is overnight."

Today's forecast calls for more clear skies and high temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s, with temperatures dropping to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit this evening.

But because of the similar weather conditions, expect to feel chilly again tonight. Residents in Pasco County, Brooksville and rural parts of Polk County could have temperatures about 15 degrees lower and a "decent chance of frost," Hatton said.

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