The cooler air that moved into the region this afternoon is going to stay for a while.
It's the first in a succession of cold fronts that moved through the Bay area this morning - behind several hours of showers and thunderstorms - and it made its presence known with windy, blustery conditions.
Afternoon temperatures started in the mid 60s, but felt cooler because of north-northwest winds of 20 to 30 knots.
Strong northwest winds will continue into the evening ushering in cooler and drier air, said Bay News 9 meteorologist Diane Kacmarik.
Rip Current Risk and High Surf Advisory continue through this evening, as well as a Small Craft Advisory.
Just before 4 a.m. on Saturday, strong thunderstorms produced a tornado in Southern Sarasota County, Kacmarik said. It touched down in the Myakka State Forest as an EF-0. Winds were estimated at 85 mph. It stayed on the ground for about 1 mile. Trees were snapped and uprooted and a Ranger Station trailer was tossed 40 yards away and was destroyed. No one was injured.
Although Sunday will be sunny and much less windy, temperatures won't get out of the 60s. And that will be the case for the whole week: highs will range from 60 to 65 degrees, and morning lows will mostly be in the mid 40s around Tampa Bay and at or below freezing in the northern counties, Kacmarik said.
Winds pick back up Monday, though, with another cold front moving through.