Coldest air of the season arrives Friday as Freeze Watches issued in Southwest Florida

The coldest weather of the season so far in Southwest Florida will arrive on Friday. A powerful cold front will sweep across the Sunshine State on Thursday, with a blast of very cold and dry air settling in overnight Thursday into Friday morning.

A Freeze Watch is in place for Desoto, Highlands, Glades, Hendry, and inland Charlotte Counties between the times of 1AM - 9AM on the morning of Friday, January 16. The National Weather Service issues a Freeze Watch when there is a potential for freezing temperatures within the next 24-36 hours.

A light freeze is likely for communities within the Freeze Watch area. Take precautions to protect people, pets, and sensitive plants.

Temperatures will plummet into the 30s early Friday morning across much of Southwest Florida. A handful of communities directly on our beaches and farther south may bottom out closer to 40 degrees. When you factor in the wind chill, temperatures will feel about 5 degrees colder than what they actually are.

The Weather Authority underwent a deep dive to uncover how this cold snap stacks up historically. The current forecast low temperature on Friday morning for Fort Myers is 37 degrees. This is 17 degrees below the average low temperature of 54 degrees this time of year. The lowest temperature recorded in Fort Myers on January 16th was 32 degrees back in 1927.

In Punta Gorda, the forecast low temperature is 33 degrees, just above the current record of 29 degrees set back in 1978. In Naples, the forecast low is 40 degrees, safely above the record low of 33 which was also set back in 1978.

The Weather Authority will continue to keep you updated both on-air and online as we prepare for the coldest weather so far this season.