Cooler, drier air blows into the Gulf Coast for St. Patrick’s Day
A cold front ushers in cooler and drier air Monday, elevating fire risk across the Gulf Coast
VACATION. DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO PICK IT UP. I’M SORRY, TYPICAL. I SORRY. OKAY. WELL, THAT THAT CAN ONLY HELP WITH STARTING DRESS. WE HAD 3 ANOTHER RADAR THIS MORNING AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME YELLOWS AND REDS INDICATING SOME MORE INTENSE RAIN. >> AND THIS IS ALL MOVING AWAY FROM US. IT’S ACCOMPANIED BY A COLD FRONT AND THAT’S GOING TO BRING IN A BLAST OF COOLER AND DRIER AIR HERE TO THE GULF COAST’S THROUGHOUT YOUR SAINT PATRICK’S DAY. THIS IS WHAT’S LEFT OVER COLLIER COUNTY. WE’VE GOT SOME RUMBLES, SOME RAIN. YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THIS ENTIRE VIEW OVER THE LAST 15 MINUTES, JUST UNDER 400 SYSTEM. PRETTY INTENSE LIGHTNING. MOST OF THAT OVER PALM BEACH COUNTY RIGHT NOW. AND WE’VE GOT OUR WINDS CHANGING DIRECTIONS COMING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST AND THAT’LL BLOW IN SOME OF THAT COOLER, DRIER AIR. BUT NOTICE THE WIND GUSTS UP TO AROUND. 25 EVEN CLOSER TO 30 MILES PER HOUR. SO GET READY FOR WHAT’S GOING TO BE A BREEZY, BLUSTERY DAY AND THAT NORTH WIND WILL CONTINUE TO USHER IN SOME OF THAT COOLER, DRIER AIR. SO FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS, WE’RE GOING TO BE SITTING IN THE UPPER 60’S TO MID 60’S AND THEN NOTICE OUR TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE DAY KIND OF FLAT LINE HERE. ONLY WARMING UP INTO THE LOW TO MID 70’S. AND THAT’S EVEN WITH SUNSHINE IN FULL FORCE HERE FOR YOUR MONDAY. SO LOOKING TOWN BY TOWN ACROSS LEE COUNTY, CAPE CORAL, NORTH FORT MYERS, FORT MYERS, AROUND 72 TO 73 OVER THE WEEKEND. REMEMBER, WE ALMOST GOT UP TO ABOUT 90 DEGREES. SO IT’S GOING TO BE NOTICEABLY COOLER. OUR AVERAGE HIGH FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. 81, WE’RE ABOUT 10 DEGREES BELOW THAT FOR MOST OF THE GULF COAST. AND THERE’S THIS SUSTAINED WINDS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST CLOSE TO 15. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE’LL SEE WIND GUSTS UP TO AROUND. 25. SO THE COMBINATION OF THE WINDY WEATHER OR THE LOW HUMIDITY WILL REALLY ELEVATE THE FIRE DANGER. WE HAVE A FIRE WEATHER WARNING EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE GULF COAST, ESPECIALLY AWAY FROM THE BEACHES. SO JUST REMEMBER, DON’T PARK YOUR CAR OVER DRY GRASS. JUST DO WHATEVER YOU CAN PROPERLY DISPOSE OF CIGARETTES. AND I JUST YOU KNOW, IT’S A GOOD IDEA BE REALLY CAREFUL OUT THERE TODAY. OUTDOOR BURNING, DEFINITELY NOT ADVISE AT ALL. AND WE HAVE BURN BANS IN PLACE FOR MOST OF OUR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COUNTIES. 66 BY 07:00PM. AND THEN THERE GOES THAT TEMPERATURE DROP THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING JACKET, WEATHER FOR SAYING ON TO SAY MOST OF US WILL MAKE DOWN INTO THE 40’S, ESPECIALLY FROM LEE COUNTY ACROSS INLAND NEIGHBORHOODS AND NORTH UP INTO CHARLOTTE COUNTY, MID TO UPPER 40’S. SO HAVE THAT CHILL IN THE AIR. STILL A BIT BREEZY, TOO, WHICH IS GOING ADD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WIND CHILL INTO THE MIX AS WELL. THEN BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON, NICE REBOUND BACK UP INTO THE LOW 80’S WITH CLEAR SKIES AND SUNSHINE AND LOOKING AT PURE GOLD COAST. 7 DAY FORECAST. OVERALL, A NICE SAINT PATRICK’S DAY WILL FEEL DEFINITELY COOLER THE NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR TOMORROW, AS WE MENTIONED, BACK UP INTO THE 80’S, OUR NEXT COLD FRONT COMES IN ON THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING. IT’S GOING TO BE A WEAKER COLD FRONT, THOUGH, NOT EXPECTING MUCH OF A RAIN CHANCE WITH THAT. AND YOU CAN SEE TEMPERATURES GET KNOCKED DOWN A FEW DEGREES BY FRIDAY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70’S AND WE’LL SPEND A FEW MORE NIGHTS IN THE LOW TO MID 50’S. AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND, IT LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND HERE COMING UP ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. WARM IN THE AFTERNOONS. A LITTLE
Cooler, drier air blows into the Gulf Coast for St. Patrick’s Day
A cold front ushers in cooler and drier air Monday, elevating fire risk across the Gulf Coast
Updated: 5:41 AM EDT Mar 17, 2025
A strong cold front accompanied by a narrow line of thunderstorms swept through the Gulf Coast overnight. Now that the front has cleared the area, expect cooler and drier conditions for your St. Patrick’s Day. Clouds will clear out quickly this morning, making way for wall-to-wall sunshine.Even with all the sunshine, temperatures will be noticeably cooler through the day. After starting the morning in the upper 60s, we’ll only warm into the low-to-mid 70s this afternoon, and a brisk northwesterly wind will make the air feel a bit cooler at times.Because of the windy and dry conditions, the fire danger will be quite high today. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for most of the Gulf Coast from noon until 8 p.m.Make sure to avoid outdoor burning and parking your car over grassy areas. Temperatures will drop sharply through the evening, with lows down in the mid-to-upper 40s early Tuesday morning. We’ll warm up nicely Tuesday afternoon as highs bounce back into the lower 80s. The next cold front arrives across the Gulf Coast Thursday, but it’s unlikely we’ll see much rain as this front pushes through. Follow the Gulf Coast Storm Team on social mediaChief Meteorologist Allyson Rae on Facebook and XMeteorologist Jim Dickey on Facebook and XMeteorologist Jason Dunning on Facebook and XMeteorologist Rob Duns on Facebook and XMeteorologist Jesslyn Ferentz on Facebook and XMeteorologist Lauren Hope on Facebook and XMeteorologist Raphael Tavernier on Facebook and XWatch your Gulf Coast Weather forecasts on TV or onlineHere’s where to find our latest video forecastYou can also watch our newscasts live or on-demand hereDOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest breaking news and weather alerts.
A strong cold front accompanied by a narrow line of thunderstorms swept through the Gulf Coast overnight. Now that the front has cleared the area, expect cooler and drier conditions for your St. Patrick’s Day.
Clouds will clear out quickly this morning, making way for wall-to-wall sunshine.
Even with all the sunshine, temperatures will be noticeably cooler through the day.
After starting the morning in the upper 60s, we’ll only warm into the low-to-mid 70s this afternoon, and a brisk northwesterly wind will make the air feel a bit cooler at times.
Because of the windy and dry conditions, the fire danger will be quite high today.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for most of the Gulf Coast from noon until 8 p.m.
Make sure to avoid outdoor burning and parking your car over grassy areas.
Temperatures will drop sharply through the evening, with lows down in the mid-to-upper 40s early Tuesday morning.
We’ll warm up nicely Tuesday afternoon as highs bounce back into the lower 80s.
The next cold front arrives across the Gulf Coast Thursday, but it’s unlikely we’ll see much rain as this front pushes through.
Follow the Gulf Coast Storm Team on social media
- Chief Meteorologist Allyson Rae on Facebook and X
- Meteorologist Jim Dickey on Facebook and X
- Meteorologist Jason Dunning on Facebook and X
- Meteorologist Rob Duns on Facebook and X
- Meteorologist Jesslyn Ferentz on Facebook and X
- Meteorologist Lauren Hope on Facebook and X
- Meteorologist Raphael Tavernier on Facebook and X
Watch your Gulf Coast Weather forecasts on TV or online
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest breaking news and weather alerts.
