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Freezing Temps In Forecast; No Mention Of Flurries Any More

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 20, 2009

Updated: 01/20/2009 03:06 pm

TAMPA - It's a night to protect the plants and bring pets indoors.

Freezing temperatures will grip West Central Florida tonight with eastern Hillsborough and Polk facing the potential of more than three hours below freezing.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service say the freezing temperatures could reach into interior Manatee and Sarasota counties as a mass of Arctic air plows over the state.

Residents in eastern Pasco could see a hard freeze with temperatures approaching the low 20s. But forecasters are calling for a freeze over the entire county with areas closer to the coast getting down to 30 or lower.

The weather service has a hard freeze warning out from Hernando County north where temperatures could fall to 24 degrees or below by dawn.

The cold is coming from a front that bulldozed toward the state during the day. A brisk wind will continue to funnel the cold air over the Tampa Bay area through the night.

If the cold isn't enough, the wind will make things feel even colder and the weather service has issued a wind chill advisory for the entire region.

Some light rain is possible with the cold before 1 a.m. The weather service has dropped any mention that a few snow flurries may come with that rain.

Even colder temperatures could show up Wednesday night as the cold front settles over the peninsula with clear skies and light wind will allow heat to quickly radiate from the ground once the sun goes down.

The weather service says temperatures will drop sharply after sunset and falling to the low 20s in eastern Hillsborough by Thursday morning and high 20s in Tampa.

There is also the chance for frost during Wednesday night.

Forecasters say southern Pinellas and some places near the coast may be the only locations to escape freezing temperatures.

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