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Looking long-range: Any cooler air in sight for Central Florida?

Strong cold front looks likely by middle of December

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Yes, this is Florida. It’s supposed to be warm. More often than not, however, Central Florida has been running about 5-10 degrees above where we should be for this time of the year.

There have been breaks in the warmth from time to time, but they have been subtle and extremely short-lived.

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For reference, Orlando has yet to see its first night cooler than 50 degrees. To date, the coolest night has only fallen to 51 degrees.

Typically, the average first night of sub-50 degree weather in Orlando is Nov 7. In fact, the lack of temperatures in the 40s could be record-breaking in Orlando.

Already in the top 4 for latest date without seeing temperatures in the 40s.

The latest Orlando has gone without feeling 40-degree temperatures is Dec. 19.

Daytona Beach fell into the 40s during the chill in the middle of November, but the other climate sites across Central Florida have not. Most of Central Florida is running about a month behind schedule for the cold weather.

40s

The main reason for the above-average warmth has been a persistent upper-level ridge that has anchored itself over the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and extreme Southern U.S.

Upper Level Pattern

Not only does this weather feature help to warm things up on its own by compressional heating, but it also helps to wash out cold fronts as they advance south, keeping that colder air bottled up to the north.

Any cold in sight?

We’ll have to wait a little bit, but a major pattern shift is expected to take aim on the Eastern U.S. by the middle of December. A strong cold front is poised to move through Central Florida somewhere around Dec. 16.

That will usher in the coldest air we have seen since the middle of November.

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It remains to be seen if Central Florida will tumble into the 40s, but widespread jacket-worthy weather appears likely by around Dec. 16.