Portions of Northern Florida and southern Georgia may see temperatures dip into the low thirties over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Why It Matters
Temperatures as low as 30 degrees may occur and people, plants and property exposed to these temperatures could be vulnerable, the NWS warns.
"Appropriate action should be taken to ensure tender vegetation and outdoor pets have adequate protection from the cold temperatures. Young children, the elderly and the homeless are especially vulnerable to the cold. Take measures to protect them," the NWS alert says.
What To Know
The NWS posted a map of the areas impacted by the freeze watch. The watch comes as temperatures Friday afternoon are in the mid 60s and projected to be in the mid 50s on Saturday.
The freeze watch goes into effect late Saturday night until Sunday morning, the NWS says.
A map of northern Florida and southern Georgia can be seen amid a freeze watch for this weekend. (The photo is from the National Weather Service)A map of northern Florida and southern Georgia can be seen amid a freeze watch for this weekend. (The photo is from the National Weather Service)
A few states to the north of Georgia are also under a winter weather advisory in West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. The area could see snow accumulations of one to three inches of snow, the NWS says. There may be wind gusts of 35 mph and six inches of snow in West Virginia.
"Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Friday evening commute, the NWS says."
What People Are Saying
In a phone call with Newsweek on Friday, NWS Meteorologist Jason Hess said that it is "very typical for this time of year," to see a freeze watch. Hess added that the biggest concern is for plants and vegetation "after about four or five previous freezes we had in December. It could be another shock for the plants."
"The duration of the freeze may be two to four hours and along the I-10 corridor, Lake City and Live Oak are some of the bigger cities in the freeze watch," Hess said. It is normal for the Jacksonville area to see about "12-15 freezing days in a year," Hess noted, adding that it is different than the southern part of the state.
What Happens Next
The NWS Tallahassee posted to X, formerly Twitter, alerting residents that the cooler air is not staying for long, saying, "If you are not a fan of the cold weather coming up this weekend, warmer and wetter weather is on the way for Christmas. @NWSCPC 6-10 day outlook for Dec 25-29 calls for above normal temperatures and precipitation for much of the Nation. Stormy in the Pacific NW."
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