TAMPA, Fla. — Freeze warnings, extreme cold warnings, and wind advisories are up as a wild cold spell with possible snow impacts the Tampa Bay area this weekend.
Here's what we know
- Freeze warning in effect overnight Saturday for all counties in the Tampa Bay viewing area except Pinellas County
- Some areas are under an extreme cold warning with wind chills forecast of 8 degrees
- Gasparilla invasion has been shortened by a half mile due to expected high winds
- Possible snow flurries late Saturday night
A Freeze Warning is now in effect for all areas in PURPLE which now includes ALL of Hillsborough County from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. Temps as low as 20 north with 30 south.
An Extreme Cold WARNING is now in effect for all areas in PURPLE from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday for wind chills as low as 8°. A Cold Weather Advisory is now in effect for areas in BLUE from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday for wind chills as low as 23°.
Flurry Forecast
We've been having fun with our "Florida Flurry" chances the past couple of days. Florida usually dashes these dreams, but we remain steadfast in our search! However, we're 36 hours out so now it's time to make a forecast.
Most models continue to show snow showers or flurries overnight Saturday night into Sunday. A few are even showing some accumulations. Here's how I see it for Floridia flakes. So yes, we ARE saying "there's a chance"!
1. Models simply don't handle this type of situation well. It's impossible to predict where this sets up. Think our Summertime pop up afternoon storms that rain across the street but sunny at your house. It's ALL tracking radar and seeing where it takes us.
2. Best chances will be closer to the beach and North of I-4. It's a fine line finding the sweet spot with cold enough temps but enough moisture to actually see flakes hit the ground. Some models are a bit more aggressive, but as of this point, I'd say best chances are Pinellas county Northward and West of I-75. While a brief flurry could absolutely fall nearly anywhere in our viewing area, best chances are the Nature Coast.
3. If you're wanting to chase snowflakes late Saturday night, here's my suggestion. IF they form (map shows about a 40% chance), you will need to react fast. I'll be posting "flake forecasts" for specific spots as they happen. Use your favorite radar app, and follow along as they form. I use our Storm Shield App - Stay Ahead of Severe Weather. Just like "Twister", except with parkas and hot chocolate...and no Glenn Powell.
4. I'll be out there too with my kids. Maybe we get lucky and actually see some flakes flying. Odds aren't great, but they're the best they've been in a long long time.
Good luck in your search and may the odds be ever in your favor!!
Gasparilla update
A Gale WARNING is now in effect for all our coastal waters including Tampa Bay from Saturday 10 a.m to Sunday 10 a.m. Wind gusts up to 45 kts in the Gulf and up to 40 kts in the Bay are possible as the arctic front moves in.
Due to weather conditions and out of an abundance of caution, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard, has established a contingency plan for the Gasparilla Invasion scheduled for Saturday.
The safety and security of the Tampa community remains our highest priority and continues to guide all decision-making. As part of this plan, the Jose Gasparilla II will sail from Port Tampa Bay to the Tampa Convention Center. In addition, our maritime experts strongly encourage captains of local vessels to closely monitor weather conditions and exercise sound judgment when making boating decisions on Saturday morning.
With confidence, we affirm that the invasion of Tampa will move forward as custom dictates, and Mayor Jane Castor is advised to stand ready to relinquish the key to the city at 1 PM.
Follow @GasparillaTampa on social media for up-to-date event details.
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