Frigid air heading for Florida

TAMPA - Another blast of chilly air is headed for Florida, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a freeze watch.

A cold front is expected to drop temperatures 10 to 15 degrees below normal on Wednesday, with daytime highs only expected to reach the lower 50s across the Nature Coast. Strong gusty winds will make it feel even colder.

Temperatures will drop quickly after sunset, with readings dropping to near freezing after midnight then bottoming out in the upper 20s towards sunrise on Thursday morning.

The freeze watch is in effect for the northern half of the Bay Area -- Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, and Levy counties. However, even residents south of that area should also plan to protect outdoor pets and tropical plants.

The cool air will linger for a few days. Lows will not make it out of the 40s though the weekend, forecasters warn.

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