The coldest air of the season arrives Monday and peaks on Tuesday morning. A strong cold front will pass through late Sunday into Monday, bringing temperatures well below normal.
A few showers are possible Sunday evening ahead of the cold front, but they will clear by mid-morning Monday. Winds will then shift to the northwest, gusting over 30 mph during the day Monday and between 20 to 30 mph Monday night into Tuesday.
Chilly north to northwest winds will keep Monday's highs in the 60s. Temperatures will continue to fall Monday night. By Tuesday morning, Tampa is likely to see near-record lows around 40 degrees, with wind chills in the low to mid-30s.
Wednesday will start with chilly conditions again, but abundant sunshine will allow afternoon highs to rise into the 70s.
"By Tuesday morning, temperatures in Tampa will be near its record low for the day of 40 degrees. Wind chills could be in the low to mid-30s."
Author's summary: A strong cold front will bring near-record lows and gusty winds to Tampa Bay, with temperatures dropping into the 30s and 40s early Tuesday before warming to the 70s by Wednesday afternoon.