Temperatures expected to drop into 60s Friday night following Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian brought harsh winds and rains to Tampa Bay, but the storm also brought a small taste of fall.

The Tampa Bay area will see high temperatures Friday of about 80 degrees. At night, temperatures are expected to drop to the mid-60s, according to the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay.

Weather will still be a bit breezy Friday, Spectrum Bay News 9 Meteorologist Josh Linker said in a forecast posted to the news station’s website.

“Our forecast today, we’re going to put temperatures up around 80, that is not bad at all,” Linker said. “Quite a bit below average still.”

The slightly cooler weather is a result of Hurricane Ian. Tampa Bay was largely spared the worst of the effects, but the major storm ravaged the Gulf Coast to the south, with multiple fatalities reported and properties decimated.

As Ian moved away from the area, the storm pulled cooler and drier air over Tampa Bay, said Nicole Carlisle, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

“If you were out walking around or something, assessing damage or whatever, it felt actually quite nice out,” Carlisle said.

The weather dip is the first drop of the season into the 60s, according to weather data from NOAA. On Monday, the high was 94 degrees in Tampa.

Temperatures Friday morning were in the high 60s across the area around 7:30 a.m., according to a tweet from Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather. The cooler weather will ease some of the discomfort for those without power, the news station said.

The trend will continue into Friday night, but Saturday’s high temperature will creep up to a closer-to-normal mid-80s Carlisle said.

The preliminary average temperature for September was about 83 degrees, and the number combines the highs and lows of the day. The average temperature from Wednesday, when Hurricane Ian made landfall, was about 9 degrees cooler.

The slightly cooler air comes off of a record-breaking summer of heat. This year, the city of Tampa recorded the hottest summer in its history dating back to 1890.

Spectrum Bay News 9′s 7-day weather outlook has highs in the mid-80s for the rest of the week and lows in the higher 60s.

Today’s weather is a small glimpse of the fall weather that likely won’t arrive until around mid-October or November.

“November, December is when we get the full cold frontal passages that really cool us down for multiple days,” Carlisle said. “But usually in October is when we start to see that initial cool down.”

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Tampa Bay Times Hurricane Ian coverage

HOW TO HELP: Where to donate or volunteer to help Hurricane Ian victims.

TAMPA BAY CLOSURES: What to know about bridges, roads in Ian’s aftermath

WHEN THE STORM HAS PASSED: Now what? Safety tips for returning home.

POST-STORM QUESTIONS: After Hurricane Ian, how to get help with fallen trees, food, damaged shelter.

WEATHER EFFECTS: Hurricane Ian was supposed to slam Tampa Bay head on. What happened?

WHAT TO DO IF HURRICANE DAMAGES YOUR HOME: Stay calm, then call your insurance company.

SCHOOLS: Will schools reopen quickly after Hurricane Ian passes? It depends.

MORE STORM COVERAGE: Get ready and stay informed at tampabay.com/hurricane.