Florida welcomes fall cooldown with refreshing temperatures through midweek before warmth returns
After record-setting October heat in South Florida, the sharply cooler air has ushered in 70-degree temperatures across the Sunshine State. The cool air will stick around through midweek.
Florida experiencing coolest weather in months
After a dramatic cool down in Florida with temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal, the 80s will return but FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said the warm up won't surpass average levels.
Cool air has surged into Florida, welcoming fall to the Sunshine State after brutal record-breaking summer temperatures stretched into October.
Many across Florida woke up and may have thought, "Fall, is that you?" as a sharp cold front swept south across the state, bringing the chilliest conditions since March. The fall chill is happening across much of the U.S. this week after a powerful storm system has finally moved off the coast, allowing cool autumn temperatures to move in.
Temperatures in Orlando are reaching the lower 70s this week, which hasn't happened since spring. Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami felt a temperature drop between 10 and 20 degrees.
It will feel more like springtime with low humidity and dew points in the 40s and 50s and temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees below average.
The cool air finally offered some relief to South Florida and brought on the sweater weather for most of the state. Temperatures will rebound to near average by Wednesday, but the good news is that the scorching heat has abated.
"It is a moderate warmup back to average levels. And that's the theme and also the trend that you see as we go into fall," FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "The warmups are not dramatic. They're back to average. They're not soaring."
Temperatures across the Sunshine State will reach lows in the 50s and 60s with dew points in the 40s and 50s, making for a sharp chill to start the workweek.
WHERE THE SUN IS NO LONGER PROVIDING ENOUGH VITAMIN D UNTIL NEXT SPRING
This week, several records could be broken, but not for the heat.
Lakeland, Fort Pierce and Key West are forecast to have record-cold high temperatures on Tuesday. Key West has been baking in the heat all summer and is forecast to reach a comfortable 75 degrees on Tuesday.
Florida's possible record-cold highs for Tuesday. (FOX Weather)
A cool morning will lead to a pleasant Tuesday afternoon across Central and North Florida. That pattern will be on repeat through Thursday. In the morning, grab your sweater, but by the afternoon, it's comfortable. The Walton County Fire Rescue Department in the Florida Panhandle summed up this Florida fall pattern well.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, high temperatures in Panama City will top out at 70 on Tuesday while Jacksonville reaches a high of 71.
Even Miami will get a taste of fall with highs forecast in the mid- to upper 70s and lows in the mid-60s, which will be a welcome change for South Florida.
Last week, Miami ended with a high of 95 on Friday, breaking a previous October record from 1990. With a high of 79 degrees on Monday, a 161-day streak with temperatures of 85 or above in Miami finally came to an end.
Miami ties all-time warmest record low temperature amid another stretch of hot weather
Miami only dropped to 84 degrees Friday morning, making it the warmest October night on record. But a big cool down is in the offing.
On Tuesday, the FOX Forecast Center is again tracking a high in the upper 70s for Miami.
After another chilly morning on Wednesday, Central, Southwest and South Florida will return to the lower 80s by Wednesday afternoon.
"Down south, you have so much heat, so much humidity for such a long time, especially considering the summer that we've had. So it does feel nice to have a break for this," Merwin said. "If it's a little too cool for you in the morning, just wait. The afternoons are a lot more comfortable."
This week will be a good time to get in those outside plans and visit a pumpkin patch while the fall chill lasts. Toward the end of the week, temperatures in Florida will be on the upswing again – closer to average. Then, it's back to iced pumpkin spice lattes for Floridians.