TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — It’s a chilly finish to 2025 across the Tampa Bay area, with cold temperatures settling in for New Year’s Eve. The coldest air is behind us, but tonight will still be quite cold—especially for inland and northern communities.
Freezing temperatures are likely across the Nature Coast tonight, where a Freeze Warning remains in effect through early Thursday morning. Many of those spots will drop to around freezing, making frost a concern. Elsewhere, a Frost Advisory covers much of the interior, with temperatures falling into the 30s by daybreak.
One bit of good news for evening plans: winds will be much lighter than the past couple of nights. That means it won’t feel quite as biting, but it will still be cold if you’re heading out for fireworks or ringing in the New Year outdoors. Coastal areas will stay milder, but jackets are still a must.
Fire weather concerns remain elevated through Thursday due to very dry air. Even though it’s cold, the low humidity means fires could spread more easily, so use caution with outdoor flames.
As 2026 begins, temperatures slowly moderate. New Year’s Day stays cool, with highs mostly in the upper 60s to near 70. By Friday, we’re closer to seasonal norms, and the weekend brings milder afternoons with highs climbing into the 70s.
Our next chance of rain arrives over the weekend as the next front moves in. Rain chances increase late Saturday into Saturday night, though drought conditions are expected to continue. We’ll keep an eye on that system as we head toward the weekend…