Residents in several counties north of the I-4 corridor awoke to a frosty morning today, with the National Weather Service Melbourne FL issuing a Frost Advisory through 8 AM. Lake and Volusia counties are advised to bundle up as temperatures could dip into the mid-30s. Despite the chilly start, forecasters promise a dry and slightly warmer afternoon with skies clearing up to give way to sunshine and highs in the upper 60s to low 70s across east central Florida.
The same National Weather Service report indicates that this trend of clear, dry weather is expected to continue throughout the week, with temperatures gradually increasing into the weekend. Highs are set to hit the mid-70s to low 80s by Friday, leading into an early next week that suggests a weak front might meander southward, but for the most part, we're talking about an extended period of serenity in the skies above with winds that are chilling out, staying below the 15 mph mark.
Maritime conditions are also looking up as reduced wind speeds and manageable seas of 2 to 4 feet make for a favorable scenario for local boaters. According to the National Weather Service, these conditions are courtesy of an area of high pressure that's parked up across Florida and shows no sign of leaving just yet, providing clear skies and keeping rain off the forecast for the near future.
On the aviation front, pilots are cruising with VFR conditions in place and winds expected to keep it cool at a low of 10 knots or less. This information comes courtesy of the morning aviation weather report that notes some scattered marine stratocumulus clouds rolling by before the day heats up. And for our friends in the fire service, there's a slight elevation in fire weather concerns, especially up north, where the RH values have dropped below 35%. Nevertheless, it's not time to sound the alarm as wind speeds are maintaining their composure, holding steady from the north to northwest at a gentle 5 to 10 mph.
And for those with an eye on the record books, today's chill could flirt with historical lows set decades ago, but such records as Orlando's 35-degree mark back in 1913 may stand firm, yet still, it's a nudge for Floridians to remember, the Sunshine State has its moments of shivers and teeth-chattering cold.
