000 
WWUS82 KTBW 231056
SPSTBW

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
553 AM EST SUN JAN 23 2005

...VERY COLD MORNING EXPECTED ON MONDAY...

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-232200-
CHARLOTTE-CITRUS-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HERNANDO-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE-
LEVY-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA-SUMTER-
553 AM EST SUN JAN 23 2005

A STRONG COLD FRONT HAS MOVED ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. BEHIND
THE FRONT...WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 20 TO 25
MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OVER THE GULF COASTAL WATERS...WINDS OF 25
KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY. BOATERS ARE
ADVISED TO POSTPONE ANY PLANNED BOATING TRIPS TODAY...AS SEAS ARE
FORECAST TO QUICKLY BUILD TO 10 FEET OR HIGHER THIS AFTERNOON.

HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR TODAY HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED OVERNIGHT BEFORE
THE FRONT PASSED THROUGH THE REGION. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AND DURING
THE DAY TODAY...TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO AND HOLD STEADY IN THE 50S
FOR MOST OF THE DAY ACROSS THE TAMPA BAY REGION SOUTH TO FORT MYERS.
NORTH OF TAMPA BAY AND ACROSS THE NATURE COAST REGION...TEMPERATURES
WILL FALL TO AND REMAIN IN THE 40S. TEMPERATURES WILL THEN PLUMMET
AFTER SUNSET...REACHING THE FREEZING MARK BY 8 PM THIS EVENING IN
LEVY COUNTY...AND BEFORE MIDNIGHT ELSEWHERE FROM PASCO COUNTY
NORTHWARD. EVEN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS WILL DROP BELOW FREEZING
TONIGHT...WITH HILLSBOROUGH AND POLK HITTING 32 DEGREES BY 2 AM
MONDAY...WHILE THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION TO THE SOUTH WILL REACH 32
BY 4 AM. AREAS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COASTLINE MAY ALSO SEE
TEMPERATURES AROUND FREEZING BY MONDAY MORNING.

AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY MORNING WILL BOTTOM
OUT AROUND 18 IN LEVY...CITRUS...AND HERNANDO COUNTIES. PASCO AND
SUMTER COUNTIES WILL FALL TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25 DEGREES...WHILE THE
REMAINDER OF THE REGION WILL SEE LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE AND
UPPER 20S AWAY FROM THE COAST...AND NEAR 32 CLOSE TO THE COAST.

IN ADDITION...A NORTHWEST TO NORTH WIND WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILL
READINGS FROM THE TEENS TO MID 20S ACROSS ALL OF WEST FLORIDA BY
MONDAY MORNING. 

RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE ACTION TODAY TO PROTECT ANY TENDER PLANTS AS
THEY WILL NOT LIKELY SURVIVE THIS FREEZE. PETS SHOULD BE AFFORDED
ADEQUATE SHELTER OR BROUGHT INDOORS. EXPOSED WATER PIPES SHOULD HAVE
ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM THE COLD TEMPERATURES. 

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
UPDATES.

&&

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW

$$

NP