Freeze Watch: freeze watch issued as cold advisory hits Central West Florida
A freeze watch has been flagged as a cold weather advisory is in place for Central West Florida for Monday, and wind chills could sink to 34. The region is bracing for another blast of cold air that will bring shower chances, gusty winds and near-freezing overnight lows inland later this week.
Freeze Watch and advisory details
The advisory for Central West Florida is timed for Monday, with a specific warning that wind chills could sink to 34. This advisory follows forecasts of an approaching cold front that will change conditions from mild to markedly colder over a short span.
Tonight: mild with patch fog
Tonight, temperatures will stay mild with the possibility of patch fog across the Suncoast and inland once again. The forecast highlights a lingering mild night before the front arrives.
Tomorrow morning showers expected
A cold front on the way will bring showers in the morning hours, entering between 8am-10am before wrapping up in the early afternoon. Winds then pick up and temperatures drop; by the afternoon temperatures will only be in the 60s with winds near 20 mph and gusts up to 30.
Short term: Monday and Tuesday
First alert weather days are in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday as winter returns for the area. Highs will struggle to make it out of the 50s, and winds will continue to be gusty, making it feel colder than it is. Overnight low temperatures fall down to near freezing inland Tuesday and Wednesday.
Long term: warming by midweek
Temperatures will begin to warm back up by the midweek and returning to near normal by Thursday. Forecasters emphasize a quick turnaround after the cold snap, with conditions moderating later in the week.
Sarasota bulletin and reader notes
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) carried a bulletin that opened with: "Hopefully the nice weather today was spent to the fullest because chances come tomorrow!" That item lays out the same sequence—Tonight, Tomorrow, Short Term, Long Term—with the rain window, wind timing and temperature swings described above. The WWSB content included the specific hour window of 8am-10am for morning showers, the afternoon temperatures in the 60s, winds near 20 mph and gusts up to 30, and the overnight lows near freezing inland on Tuesday and Wednesday. Copyright 2026 WWSB. All rights reserved.
Reader access and e-newspaper note
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Closely timed impacts — showers between 8am-10am tomorrow, afternoon gusts up to 30, highs stuck in the 50s Monday and Tuesday, overnight lows near freezing inland Tuesday and Wednesday, and a potential for wind chills down to 34 on Monday — make the freeze watch and advisory a fast-moving situation for Central West Florida. Forecast details and the sequence of Tonight → Tomorrow → Short Term → Long Term are set out for residents to follow as conditions evolve.
