A cold air mass is making its way to the Bay area, setting the stage for a chilly rest of the work week.
According to Bay News 9 meteorologist Juli Marquez, temperatures will drop into the upper 30s in parts of the Bay area by Thursday morning. They'll be lower in the north counties.
"Really cold air is being ushered in with this cold front," Marquez said. "And, as the north winds increase later today and tonight, the blustery conditions will make it feel even colder."
A freeze warning has been issued for Citrus and Hernando counties for Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Lows are forecast to be around 30 degrees, and the winds will make it feel much colder.
A wind chill advisory has been issued for every Bay area county. A wind chill of 15-25 degrees is expected in the Bay area's northern counties and 25-35 degrees in the immediate Bay area.
Officials are warning people who go outside during the overnight hours to dress in several warm layers and limit how much skin is exposed to the wind.
In addition, pets should not be left outside during the cold weather, as the low temperatures combined with strong winds can produce dangerous wind chills.
A gale warning has been issued for the Gulf of Mexico waters, effective Wednesday at 7 p.m. through Thursday morning. Seas will be building to 7 to 9 feet and winds are likely to be 34-47 knots (39-54 mph) during that time.
Also, there is a small craft advisory for Tampa Bay.
High temperatures this afternoon will be in the mid 60s. There will be cool sunshine and conditions will turn windy.
On Thursday afternoon, the highs won't even reach 60 degrees. But they'll rebound to the mid to upper 60s on Friday and Saturday before a true warming trend returns Sunday.