The National Weather Service in Melbourne issued a cold weather advisory early this morning, cautioning residents in interior East Central Florida to dress warmly due to dropping temperatures. According to the forecast, lows were expected to range from the low 30s to the low 40s across the region. A reinforcement in the cold snap, wind chill values below 30 degrees are a serious possibility for areas farther inland, with rural locations being particularly susceptible.
Not just the landlubbers are feeling the chill; boaters have their share of warnings, too. With north to northeast winds increasing to 15 to 20 knots, resulting in building seas, Small Craft Advisories have been issued to take effect this afternoon and continue into Wednesday morning across the Gulf Stream waters. As reported by the National Weather Service, these conditions are likely to make the seas 6 to 8 feet high, making sailing conditions dicey for smaller vessels.
Looking ahead, the region is set to remain dry through most of Wednesday, after which, as high pressure shifts northeastward, moisture advection from the Atlantic could start to bring in showers, starting Wednesday night south of the Cape. An uptick in rain chances is being eyed for late this week into the weekend with a weak area of low pressure forecasted near the Bahamas, which, according to the advisory, may increase moisture locally and lead to a 20-40% chance of showers each day through East Central Florida.
On a related note, sensitivity to fire conditions continues, especially north of the I-4 corridor, where the humidity is expected to take a dip. Minimum RH values in this area are forecast to fall to 30- 35%, particularly across Lake and northwestern Volusia counties, the forecast elaborated. While the strongest winds are expected to steer clear of the driest areas, these conditions are something residents should be wary of as they go about their day.
Temperatures are slated to rise, with daytime highs reaching into the mid-70s to low 80s by Friday, providing some relief from the cold spell. This warming trend is expected to continue into Saturday before a cold front approaches later in the weekend, potentially bringing colder temperatures back into play going into next week.
