Don't let Sunday's warm weather fool you. That blast of arctic air you've been hearing about is still headed to the Bay News 9 viewing area.

Sunday was partly sunny and warm in most areas, with temperatures climbing into the high 70s to low 80s throughout west-central Florida. But Monday, the bottom will follow out.

Monday will begin with temperatures in the mid 60s, and that's as warm as it will get all day, Bay News 9 meteorologist Josh Linker said. The temperatures will drop throughout the day and then plummet overnight to the 30s around Tampa Bay and 20s in the northern counties.

Before before the sun goes down Monday, the temperatures could fall to around 50 degrees. Tuesday's forecast calls for a high of 47 degrees, with a wind chill factor in the 30s all day.

"Of course, it’s going to be warmer here than in other places, but as far we’re concerned, it’ll likely be the coldest air we've had since 2010, when we had some very cold weather for quite some time," Linker said.

"We’re going to have two morning freezes: Tuesday morning we’ll have the cold air spilling in, and Wednesday morning, we’ll have clear calm conditions, with the cold air mass starting to leave. Both days could actually see some of our coldest spots in the mid 20s, with a hard freeze possible."

The cold air is part of what some meteorologists are calling a "polar vortex," a counterclockwise rotating pool of cold, dense air that's expected to bring record cold to the Midwest and frigid conditions

Forecasters are expecting startling temperatures in many places: 25 below zero in Fargo, N.D., minus 31 in International Falls, Minn., and 15 below in Indianapolis and Chicago. Wind chills may reach 50, 60 or even 70 below zero.

The South also will dip into temperatures rarely seen. By Monday morning, western and central Kentucky could be below zero. In Atlanta, Tuesday's high is expected to hover in the mid-20s.

Of course, that will disrupt schools and and air travel.

Because it will be so cold up north, local airports, including busy Tampa International Airport, are expected to experience another round of delays and cancellations like those that stranded travelers over the weekend.

"For some of (airlines), they run into limitations on the aircraft," said Mike Duell of the flight tracking website FlightAware.com. "They're only certified to take off at temperatures so low, so if they get into a particular cold front, it can prevent them from being able to legally take off.

"In a lot of cases, it's just ice."

The arctic plunge won't last long locally. Wednesday will warm up to the mid 60s, and Thursday and Friday will be in the mid 70s