Orlando weather: Freeze warning in effect for portion of Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. - A cold front has moved through Florida, and winds will begin to increase from the north, sustained at 5 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph all night. This will usher in a major drop in temperature. 

A Freeze Warning has been issued for Alachua County as we head into Saturday. Northern counties will see freezing temperatures between 30 and 32 degrees around daybreak. 

Humidity plummets as it turns out to be mostly sunny, but man, it will be cold! Air temperatures are in the upper 40s around Gainesville, the low-to-mid-50s around Orlando, and maybe the upper 50s around Melbourne and Brevard County. Gusty northerly winds all day.

BEACH FORECAST: You are a brave soul if you are heading to the beach! Feeling frigid, breezy, but bright.

THEME PARK FORECAST: A hat and jacket are in order! Despite full sunshine, you will want to bring a jacket all weekend as the feel-like readings will be considerably lower than the current air temperatures all weekend.

LOOKING AHEAD: A Hard Freeze Watch has been issued for Saturday night with temperatures in the upper 20s over North Florida, so remember the "Four Ps," which are pipes, pools, pets, and plants.

The freeze could damage unprotected, cold-sensitive plants, so consider wrapping them with blankets or tarps.  Also, don't forget about exposed outdoor pipes and pool equipment – it is advised that you cover outdoor pipes and keep water trickling through them, and also run your pool pump overnight. Lastly, bring those pets indoors!

Palmer’s Garden, a nursery in Orlando, says for areas like Ocala and Clermont that are expecting freezing temperatures, it’s a good idea to cover your plants. If you don’t have a plant cover, you can use a bed sheet. They say it’s important to cover it completely but not too tightly. Palmer's also suggests watering your plants.

"With a potted tree or plant, if it’s dry, it will freeze faster. So if you have a potted plant that you don’t want to bring inside or is too big to bring inside, soak it, and that way, wet roots will take a lot longer to freeze – because it doesn’t stay that cold for too long. In Ocala, if it sits in the 30s for a number of hours, then you have a bigger risk, and things will burn, and the roots may die," said Andrew Commins, the Garden Center Manager.

Orlando escapes freezing temps this weekend, but temps will dip into the upper 30s on Sunday morning. OUC also gave us some tips on how to preserve energy during this Florida freeze. 

Safety Tips:

• Don’t ever use a generator inside
• Keep space heaters on a level, flat surface and away from any bedding or drapes that could burn.
• Always unplug your space heater or electric blanket before you go to sleep.

Saving Money:

• Use a space heater, blankets, or extra layers to stay warm.
• Use a towel or blanket to fill any gaps in your home by the front door.
• Keep your thermostat set to 68 or lower to save energy. 

There is a very noticeable wind chill on Sunday morning in all locations – ranging from the high 10s in Gainesville to the low 40s in Melbourne. The flow comes out of the east on Sunday through Tuesday, and a few more clouds, maybe a sprinkle, may come on shore from the Atlantic Ocean. 

Most inland areas remain dry. A massive pattern change will occur late next week after a few pop-up thundershowers, possibly from Tuesday evening into Wednesday. Afternoon highs will be back into the 80s late next week! The next cold front is looming for early February, though.