As a winter storm exits the Northeast of the country, its cold front moves through the Florida peninsula.
A few showers push through Central and South Florida during the day, and the front has now cleared the state. We expect a very cold night ahead, with many cold-weather alerts in effect at least through Tuesday morning.
That's it! The cold arrives in Florida! Temperatures are quickly dropping. The most extreme cold will take over the Panhandle, and North and Central Florida will also be cold, with the wind making it feel like the 20s. pic.twitter.com/seqRQxSArQ
— Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) (@FloridaStorms) January 27, 2026
Florida’s cold night
Across the Panhandle, the night has cleared, and temperatures have quickly dropped. By 9 p.m., the temperature was already in the upper 30s and low 40s along the I-10 corridor. Tonight, there are two cold-weather alerts across the Panhandle. The first one is an extreme cold warning, as temperatures combined with the winds will make it feel between 9 and 15°. There’s also a freeze warning in effect, as the vegetation will be impacted and many crops will be killed. Make sure to avoid prolonged time outdoors, as it can lead to hypothermia and frostbite.
For Tuesday afternoon, the temperatures will rebound into the upper 40s. There will be plenty of sunshine, but once again, temperatures will fall to around freezing in the evening. That’s why the area remains under a freeze watch, which will turn into a warning by Tuesday, as temperatures will once again be in the upper 20s and low 30s Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Across Central Florida, the skies are clear. Temperatures will be around the upper 20s, but with the wind, some areas could feel as low as 21°. This cold will also affect the vegetation and crops. A cold weather advisory is in effect, as winds will be strong, especially from Orange County through Hillsborough County and southward.
Areas north of Orlando and east of Tampa will have a freeze warning until Tuesday morning. Areas under a freeze warning are likely not to see strong winds. Areas under a cold weather advisory will have winds that make temperatures feel colder.
Across Central Florida, Tuesday will be a sunny day with highs around the mid-50s. Expect strong gusts up to 20 mph at times. This wind will be subsiding by the evening.
Although the coldest weather will not reach Southeast Florida, parts of Southwest Florida will have a very chilly night. Lows across Naples and Fort Myers will be around the mid-30s, and with the winds, lows will feel even colder. Highs on Tuesday will be in the low 60s, but once again, Tuesday night, we’re expected to have cold temperatures minus the wind, which will likely not trigger any cold alerts in the area.
For southeast Florida, we’re not expecting the coldest air of the season, but it’s a much-welcome cool-down, especially as we’re coming out of a very toasty weekend that felt warmer due to the humidity. Temperatures will remain below average for this time of year throughout much of the week across the entire state.
The most dangerous conditions will remain focused across the marine area. There is a small craft advisory in effect at least through Tuesday evening along both coasts. High recurrent risk will also remain in effect, so swimmers are advised to stay off the water.