Dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills are forecast this weekend for Tampa Bay, and meteorologists are tracking something that almost never happens in Florida — the best — but still very low — chance to see any snowflakes in Florida will be from Orange County through the Tampa area.
Extreme cold warning in place for Central West Florida for Saturday and Sunday – wind chills at a low of 8 degrees. Wind advisory in place for Central West Florida for Saturday and Sunday – wind gusts reaching 35 mph. Freeze warning affecting Hillsborough and Sarasota counties Saturday and Sunday – temperatures to dip to 30 degrees in some areas, with northern parts reaching lows around 20°. When you factor in the wind, conditions will feel dangerously frigid.
It sounds wild, but if conditions are right, there is a 10% to 40% chance of snow flurries along the coast late Saturday night and into Sunday morning. How could this happen? Frigid air blowing over the warm Gulf water could create a few "Gulf-effect" rain and snow showers — a similar process to lake-effect snow, but nowhere near as intense. The odds are still pretty slim, but it's possible.
With frostbite could set in within two hours with these extreme wind chills, officials are urging residents to bundle up and protect vulnerable outdoor items. This could rupture unprotected water pipes, harm vulnerable crops and will be very dangerous for anyone without access to heat. The cold should finally ease later next week, but this weekend is going to be one of the most brutal Tampa has seen in years.