The last weekend before Christmas will be better suited for the beach than traditional holiday activities.
In fact, the first day of winter brought record temperatures in a few locations in the Bay News 9 viewing area.
The unusual December heat wave - the average high is normally in the low 70s this time of year - is the product of a ridge of high pressure that's positioned northwest of Florida. The weather is stormy on the west side of the front and could impact travel across the middle of the country today, but much of Florida will enjoy a summer-like weekend.
According to Bay News 9 Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay, the front is moving east and will reach the Tampa Bay area on Christmas Eve day Tuesday, but its main impact will only be to drop the temperatures to a comfortable range. The highs Tuesday and Christmas Day will be around 67 and 70, respectively, and the lows Christmas morning will be in the upper 40s to lower 30s in the north counties, Clay said.
"The front is going to lose a lot of its punch by the time it gets here, at least as far as the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms," Clay said. "We'll see a couple of showers behind the front and then it will turn cool for Christmas Even and then for Christmas Day itself."
The rain chances will pick up again late next week.