Cold snap expected across Florida ahead of holidays, with some lows in the 20s and 30s

Residents at home and tourists visiting for Christmas, Hanukkah and other holidays in December can expect a plunge in temperatures across Florida, with some forecasts pointing to lows around 20s and 30s.

The cold temperatures are a concern for various issues in Florida, from the possibility of citrus crops freezing to beloved manatees trying to stay warm.

North Florida is expected to see the coldest days ahead. For example, the forecast for Saturday night in Tallahassee, the state capital, is “partly cloudy, with a low around 25,” according to the National Weather Service. The Weather Channel forecast shows a low of 19 for Saturday, and lows of 23 on Sunday and Monday.

On Christmas Day in Tallahassee, the forecast shows “mostly sunny, with a high near 43.”

On North Florida’s Atlantic coast in Jacksonville, cold temperatures will likely be around 29 on Saturday evening and “mostly sunny, with a high near 47” on Christmas Day, according to the National Weather Service.

In Orlando, in Central Florida, the forecast shows temperatures as low as of 32 for the holidays, according to The Weather Channel. And in Fort Lauderdale, in South Florida, the holidays show temperatures in the low 40s.

In the Tampa Bay area, on the Gulf side of the peninsula, the cold temperatures could be around 36 on Saturday night, Christmas Eve, according to the forecast. And on Christmas Day, the forecast says, “partly sunny, with a high near 53,” according to the National Weather Service.

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