As expected, our coldest air of the winter hit hard over the weekend but moderated just as fast with temps. to 60+ Mon. & staying well above freezing through Mon. night/early Tue. Lows early Mon. in the 20s inland with a few isolated upper teens & upper 20s to low 30s at the beaches were the coldest since early Feb., 2012. The transition Sat. was -- as forecast by the First Alert Weather Center -- accompanied by some light showers. There were no reports of sleet or snow mixed in despite claims by one LOCAL station that showed video from Sat. afternoon insisting that there was sleet hitting the windshield of a car on the highway in "Southern Georgia". No official reporting stations had such precipitation nor did any of my SE Ga. weather spotters. The temp. profile of the atmosphere did not support frozen precipitation either. This local station went on to ballyhoo their "only & wonderful forecast" in Jax of a 10% chance of sleet. Heck....there's a 10% chance of just about anything any day. Promoting something that doesn't occur to just make the forecast APPEAR to be accurate is bad business & people will at least eventually figure it out. The station also decided it was prudent to break into programming every hour to tell about the "big, bad cold". Ugh! Temps. were well above daily records & nothing extraordinary compared to avg. or past winters other than the chill was part of what has been a very mild winter.
Brent Martineau, Action News sports sent this link -- click here -- showing TPC, Sawgrass battling the cold.
Below are some Mon. morning lows compiled by our Jax N.W.S.:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
821 AM EST MON FEB 18 2013
...MINIMUM TEMPERATURES IN THE PAST 12 HOURS...
.ALACHUA COUNTY FL...
5 SSE BROOKER (144 FT)(APRSWXNET) 656 AM FEB 18 19 F
6 SSW HIGH SPRINGS (72 FT)(APRSWXNET) 719 AM FEB 18 20 F
3 WNW ALACHUA (107 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 22 F
ALACHUA FAWN (149 FT)(UCOOP) 700 AM FEB 18 23 F
7 S ALACHUA (99 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 23 F
2 ESE HIGH SPRINGS (99 FT)(AWS) 735 AM FEB 18 23 F
5 WNW UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (AWS) 735 AM FEB 18 23 F
GAINESVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (ASOS) 653 AM FEB 18 24 F
2 WSW UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 25 F
2 WSW NEWNANS LAKE (149 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 25 F
3 W NEWNANS LAKE (152 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 25 F
2 E UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (181 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 26 F
5 WSW UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (APRSWXNET) 637 AM FEB 18 26 F
3 NW UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA (APRSWXNET) 643 AM FEB 18 26 F
ARCHER (74 FT)(AWS) 735 AM FEB 18 26 F
.BAKER COUNTY FL...
EDDY TOWER RAWS (131 FT)(GOES) 704 AM FEB 18 18 F
OLUSTEE RAWS (175 FT)(GOES) 504 AM FEB 18 20 F
MACCLENNY (49 FT)(FL-MESO) 700 AM FEB 18 23 F
.BRADFORD COUNTY FL...
5 NNW KEYSTONE HEIGHTS (196 FT)(AWOS) 515 AM FEB 18 27 F
.CLAY COUNTY FL...
8 N FLORAHOME (131 FT)(APRSWXNET) 700 AM FEB 18 22 F
2 WSW DOCTORS INLET (68 FT)(APRSWXNET) 623 AM FEB 18 23 F
3 W DOCTORS INLET (29 FT)(APRSWXNET) 708 AM FEB 18 25 F
LAKESIDE (80 FT)(APRSWXNET) 710 AM FEB 18 27 F
1 WSW ORANGE PARK (35 FT)(APRSWXNET) 523 AM FEB 18 29 F
.COLUMBIA COUNTY FL...
6 SSE WELLBORN (111 FT)(APRSWXNET) 620 AM FEB 18 23 F
.DUVAL COUNTY FL...
6 WSW JACKSONVILLE HEIGH (82 FT)(AWOS) 615 AM FEB 18 19 F
6 WNW JACKSONVILLE HEIGH (APRSWXNET) 602 AM FEB 18 24 F
JACKSONVILLE, FL (31 FT)(ASOS) 656 AM FEB 18 24 F
2 SW SAN PABLO (20 FT)(APRSWXNET) 626 AM FEB 18 26 F
5 NNE MANDARIN (29 FT)(APRSWXNET) 633 AM FEB 18 26 F
1 S MAYPORT (19 FT)(APRSWXNET) 623 AM FEB 18 28 F
CRAIG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (ASOS) 653 AM FEB 18 28 F
2 E NORMANDY (12 FT)(APRSWXNET) 733 AM FEB 18 29 F
2 E NORMANDY (12 FT)(AWX) 750 AM FEB 18 29 F
2 SSE ORTEGA (65 FT)(APRSWXNET) 601 AM FEB 18 29 F
MAYPORT NAVSTA (17 FT)(ASOS) 552 AM FEB 18 30 F
1 E NORMANDY (32 FT)(APRSWXNET) 529 AM FEB 18 30 F
1 SSE ORTEGA (13 FT)(APRSWXNET) 648 AM FEB 18 30 F
2 NNW TALLYRAND (9 FT)(APRSWXNET) 650 AM FEB 18 31 F
3 SE ORTEGA (22 FT)(ASOS) 653 AM FEB 18 31 F
FORT CAROLINE (3 FT)(APRSWXNET) 644 AM FEB 18 34 F
2 WSW ARLINGTON (30 FT)(WXFLOW) 705 AM FEB 18 37 F
1 ESE JACKSONVILLE (39 FT)(AWS) 700 AM FEB 18 38 F
2 NNW MAYPORT (35 FT)(WXFLOW) 708 AM FEB 18 39 F
.FLAGLER COUNTY FL...
PALM COAST (3 FT)(APRSWXNET) 512 AM FEB 18 23 F
1 W PALM COAST (7 FT)(APRSWXNET) 716 AM FEB 18 27 F
FLAGLER COUNTY AIRPORT (33 FT)(AWOS) 650 AM FEB 18 28 F
2 W PALM COAST (22 FT)(APRSWXNET) 609 AM FEB 18 30 F
2 NNW FLAGLER BEACH (6 FT)(APRSWXNET) 1221 AM FEB 18 36 F
.GILCHRIST COUNTY FL...
6 WNW NEWBERRY (79 FT)(APRSWXNET) 739 AM FEB 18 22 F
.MARION COUNTY FL...
5 NW SALT SPRINGS (128 FT)(RAWS) 704 AM FEB 18 22 F
CITRA 4W (54 FT)(UCOOP) 715 AM FEB 18 23 F
OCAL INTL AP - JIM TAYLOR FLD (AWOS) 655 AM FEB 18 25 F
3 WNW OCKLAWAHA (60 FT)(APRSWXNET) 738 AM FEB 18 25 F
3 E RAINBOW LAKES ESTA (APRSWXNET) 443 AM FEB 18 28 F
3 ESE OCALA AIRPORT (72 FT)(APRSWXNET) 733 AM FEB 18 29 F
OKLAWAHA FAWN (81 FT)(UCOOP) 700 AM FEB 18 29 F
.NASSAU COUNTY FL...
1 ESE HILLIARD (59 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 21 F
3 NE YULEE (29 FT)(APRSWXNET) 641 AM FEB 18 23 F
FERNANDINA BEACH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 655 AM FEB 18 30 F
1 SSE AMELIA CITY (29 FT)(AWS) 700 AM FEB 18 33 F
1 NW FERNANDINA BEACH (NOS-NWLON) 700 AM FEB 18 40 F
.PUTNAM COUNTY FL...
PUTNAM HALL 3SSW (108 FT)(UCOOP) 700 AM FEB 18 22 F
5 NW INTERLACHEN (151 FT)(APRSWXNET) 545 AM FEB 18 23 F
3 SE WELAKA (13 FT)(APRSWXNET) 712 AM FEB 18 28 F
.ST. JOHNS COUNTY FL...
1 ESE DURBIN (90 FT)(AWS) 705 AM FEB 18 25 F
HASTINGS 4ESE (27 FT)(UCOOP) 700 AM FEB 18 26 F
SWITZERLAND (29 FT)(APRSWXNET) 713 AM FEB 18 27 F
1 NW FRUIT COVE (13 FT)(APRSWXNET) 642 AM FEB 18 27 F
2 NE FRUIT COVE (13 FT)(APRSWXNET) 701 AM FEB 18 28 F
ST AUGUSTINE AIRPORT (11 FT)(AWOS) 658 AM FEB 18 30 F
2 NW SAINT AUGUSTINE (49 FT)(WXFLOW) 700 AM FEB 18 36 F
1 SSE CRESCENT BEACH (17 FT)(WXFLOW) 700 AM FEB 18 37 F
.SUWANNEE COUNTY FL...
LIVE OAK FAWN (110 FT)(UCOOP) 715 AM FEB 18 23 F
.APPLING COUNTY GA...
4 SW BAXLEY (194 FT)(RAWS) 704 AM FEB 18 26 F
4 S PINE GROVE (203 FT)(URBANET) 700 AM FEB 18 27 F
.BACON COUNTY GA...
BACON COUNTY AIRPORT (198 FT)(ASOS) 653 AM FEB 18 26 F
2 W ALMA (193 FT)(URBANET) 630 AM FEB 18 26 F
.BRANTLEY COUNTY GA...
2 NNW HICKOX (65 FT)(URBANET) 630 AM FEB 18 23 F
.CAMDEN COUNTY GA...
2 SSW HIGH POINT (24 FT)(RAWS) 612 AM FEB 18 15 F
3 W WOODBINE (13 FT)(URBANET) 600 AM FEB 18 21 F
.CHARLTON COUNTY GA...
2 ENE FOLKSTON (88 FT)(APRSWXNET) 603 AM FEB 18 23 F
JONES ISLAND (GOES) 701 AM FEB 18 26 F
10 SW FOLKSTON (68 FT)(RAWS) 456 AM FEB 18 26 F
.CLINCH COUNTY GA...
4 SSW ARGYLE (154 FT)(URBANET) 600 AM FEB 18 24 F
.COFFEE COUNTY GA...
4 ESE DOUGLAS (213 FT)(URBANET) 700 AM FEB 18 26 F
DOUGLAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (AWOS) 235 AM FEB 18 32 F
.GLYNN COUNTY GA...
5 ESE THALMANN (13 FT)(RAWS) 704 AM FEB 18 22 F
4 S BOYS ESTATE (15 FT)(APRSWXNET) 727 AM FEB 18 25 F
BRUNSWICK GOLDEN ISLES AIRPORT (AWOS) 715 AM FEB 18 28 F
2 SW COUNTRY CLUB ESTATE (URBANET) 630 AM FEB 18 28 F
MALCOLM MC KINNON AIRPORT (ASOS) 653 AM FEB 18 30 F
1 NE JEKYLL ISLAND (33 FT)(WXFLOW) 720 AM FEB 18 36 F
.WARE COUNTY GA...
WAYCROSS-WARE COUNTY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT 655 AM FEB 18 25 F
2 W DEENWOOD (136 FT)(RAWS) 504 AM FEB 18 25 F
.WAYNE COUNTY GA...
3 SW ODUM (144 FT)(URBANET) 715 AM FEB 18 22 F
JESUP-WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT (AWOS) 615 AM FEB 18 25 F
Photos below are from Donna Yost-Williams along the Broward River in Jax -- classic steam fog early Mon. The second photo is from Valerie Britt in Catawba County, N.C.. Valerie also has a home in Jax Beach.
So now it's time for the warm-up. Highs Tue. will soar into the 70s ahead of a cold front that will bring clouds & -- in the afternoon & evening -- scattered showers. Rain will not be heavy averaging a quarter of an inch or less across SE Ga....& 0.10" or less for Jax & NE Fl. The weakening cold front will be followed by cooler temps. Wed. with highs in the 60s & lows early Thu. in the 30s inland but above freezing. Temps. will start to warm again Thu. & especially Fri. into the weekend.
Another front will approach the area this weekend & should bring at least a few showers later Sat. & especially Sunday. Where this front pulls up stationary will be critical for the Daytona 500 Sun. afternoon. Right now the call is for partly to mostly cloudy skies with a few showers. There's a chance that the more widespread rain will stay a bit north across NE Fl., but it'll be close. Most of the races leading up to the '"500" will have decent weather though onshore winds could occasionally produce an isolated shower.
