Central Florida residents are preparing for a significant cold weather event as the National Weather Service in Melbourne issued a freeze warning for parts of the region. The warning takes effect at midnight and extends through 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, with forecast temperatures expected to plummet into the lower 30s across multiple counties. Some areas could experience even more severe conditions, with readings potentially dropping into the upper 20s.
Lake County and interior Volusia County face the most serious threat under the freeze warning. Weather officials are urging residents to take immediate action to protect sensitive plants and vegetation by either covering them or bringing them indoors before temperatures drop overnight. The sudden shift from mild daytime conditions to freezing nighttime temperatures creates particular concern for outdoor plants and exposed pipes.
Extended cold snap threatens the entire week
Beyond the immediate freeze warning, most of Central Florida will experience a cold weather advisory beginning at 1 a.m. and lasting until 9 a.m. Tuesday. The advisory stems from dangerous wind chill values that will make temperatures feel like they’re in the 20s and 30s, even if actual readings remain slightly higher. This represents just the beginning of what forecasters describe as an extended period of below-normal temperatures lasting throughout the week.
The advisory covers a broad swath of the region, including Orange, Lake, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia, northern Brevard and inland Brevard counties. Additionally, inland Indian River and Okeechobee counties fall under the warning zone, affecting millions of residents across Central Florida who rarely experience such prolonged cold conditions.
Dramatic temperature swing catches residents off guard
The abruptness of the temperature change has caught many by surprise. Before the cold settles in, residents will enjoy relatively pleasant conditions with highs venturing into the mid to upper 70s on Monday. However, those comfortable temperatures will nosedive into the 40s before midnight, creating a jarring 30-degree swing in just a few hours…