Frigid Weather Expected Tonight... Wind Chills to be Dangerous Tonight...Drier Air Causes High Risk for Fires for North Florida... Moderate Fire Risks Elsewhere...High Risk for Rip Currents Along the Nature Coast and West Central Florida Beaches..

Most of Florida will wake up to sunny skies as the first of two cold fronts will finish pushing any lingering cloud cover through South Florida by noon. The temperatures, however, will remain largely unaffected by the passing of this first cold front. The second cold front, on the other hand, will be bringing frigid air from the arctic across North Florida and the Nature Coast by sunset. While the passing of the second front will bring little in the way of rain chances, it will bring a 10 to 15 degree temperature decrease to portions of North and Central Florida. South Florida will also see a slight drop in temperatures, but it will be more apparent during the overnight hours.

Tonight,Otherwise, mostly clear skies will cause temperatures to become very cold throughout the entire state tonight, with temperatures ranging in the mid and upper 20s for North Florida, mid 30s along the I-4 corridor south to about Lake Okeechobee, and into the mid to upper 40s through South Florida. The Southeast Florida Coast may even see low 50s tonight. Thus, freeze and hard freeze Warnings remain in effect for North and East Central Florida. Meanwhile, a freeze watch is in effect for the Nature Coast.Blustery winds will additionally cause a Wind Chill Advisory to be enacted for many areas of Florida. These near or below freezing temperatures will be very dangerous and actions should be taken to ensure that sensitive vegetation and exposed water pipes are protected from these temperatures. Children, the elderly, and outdoor pets are especially vulnerable to the cold and actions should be taken to protect them as well.

Even though Florida saw some very beneficial rain yesterday, the rainfall totals are not close to eradicating the rainfall deficit, which will keep vegetation dry. Furthermore, these cold fronts are going to cause humidity levels drop below critical levels while increasing wind speeds for much of Florida. This combination has led to the issuance of Red Flag Warnings for the entirety of North Florida during the afternoon. Even though the red flag warning will end on Saturday evening, the fire risk will continue to be high, both from high drought values and the fire risk associated house fires that are common during cold weather spells. Central and South Florida will continue to see a moderate risk for fires as red flag conditions will likely not be met until tomorrow. While outdoor burning is not recommended today, residents should properly extinguish all open flames, including cigarettes and campfires. Follow local regulations for the burning or disposal of yard waste and other materials. Keep gutters, leaves and yards clear of debris, sticks, pine needles and leaves. Indoor fire safety with space heaters is also important during cold weather. For fire safety tips, visit www.firewise.org.

Windy conditions will generate a high risk of rip currents along the Nature and West Central Florida Coast today. Moderate rip current risks will also be seen along Panhandle beaches of Gulf County and westward. A low risk for rip currents exists along Atlantic beaches. Anyone who plans to enter the chilly surf this week should check their local rip current forecast and learn how to escape a rip current before going to their beach destination. Everyone should always remember that the safest beaches are the ones protected by lifeguards.