Jacksonville area due for freeze overnight, more cold by weekend, weather service forecasts
Tuesday’s rains will be followed by overnight temperatures below 30 degrees in Jacksonville, with hard freezes expected in some neighboring counties and more cold weather into the weekend, the National Weather Service reports.
Jacksonville City Hall said it's opening a "warming station" at the Legends Center, 5130 Soutel Drive, where people who don't have adequate heat can stay from 7 p.m. Tuesday until 9 a.m. Jacksonville Transportation Authority buses will transport some people to the center, although details weren't immediately announced. City libraries will also be used for warming during their normal operating hours.
Jacksonville’s City Rescue Mission said Tuesday it was increasing capacity and extending hours as part of cold weather shelter services it routinely offers at its New Life Inn, 234 W. State St., when temperatures are below 40.
“We will not turn anyone away,” CRM Executive Director Paul Stassi said in a message the mission posted on X, formerly Twitter. “We want to make sure that those without a home have a warm shelter and a hot meal.”
St. Johns County officials said a shelter in St. Augustine would open from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 5 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of St. Augustine, 118 King St.
National Weather Service forecasters projected overnight lows of 29 degrees in Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville and in Clay County. Lower temperatures were expected in Baker County and western Nassau County, where hard freeze warnings were issued Tuesday.
Clearing skies and winds overnight are expected to contribute to the cooldown, with temperatures dropping 30 to 35 degrees over the course of 24 hours in many areas, the weather service said.
An arctic cold front crossing the Southeast later in the week is expected to drop afternoon temperatures in Southeast Georgia into the 50s on Friday, then could drop overnight temperatures in the 20s for areas north of Interstate 10, the forecast said.
A hard freeze is possible Saturday for Southeast Georgia and inland areas of North Florida, but areas east of the St. Johns River will likely stay above freezing, the weather service projected.
State officials warned Floridians to factor the cold into their plans for the coming days.
“Freezing temperatures can increase hazards such as icy roadways and life-threatening conditions outside,” Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the state Division of Emergency Management, said in a release Tuesday. “I implore all residents to take precautions against the cold that will affect the state this severe weather season.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Freezing temperatures coming to First Coast overnight, again by weekend
