South Florida’s dip into the 50s won’t last long

Following Sunday’s rain, a front is due to push in from the north and drop overnight temperatures into the 50s to start the week.

For South Floridians accustomed to above-normal temperatures lately, that means jackets and sweaters.

“Anytime it gets cool like this down here, people notice,” said National Weather Service forecaster Chuck Caracozza. “It’s chilly.”

But chilly isn’t really cold. And a reading of 50 degrees would not even be the coldest this year. The temperature dipped to 48 on Jan. 8, forecasters said.

Readings in the 40s and 50s are far from record lows.

Anybody remember Jan. 30, 1978, when temperatures dropped to 38 degrees in Fort Lauderdale?

Or the record for Tuesday’s date, a frosty 32 degrees in 1966?

As the front passes, skies are expected to clear and stay sunny the rest of the week. “By the end of the week, temperatures will be where they should be: highs in mid- to upper 70s, lows back in mid-60s,” said Caracozza.

The normal low for this time of year is 60 degrees, he said.

Monday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, with a high near 67 and winds from the northwest at 8 to 13 mph. Monday night will be mostly clear, with a low about 50.

Tuesday will be warmer, with a high near 71 and an overnight low of 59 degrees.

The offshore forecast for Monday includes northwest winds of about 10 miles an hour along the coast, and up to 20 miles an hour in the Gulf Stream. Seas will be 2 to 3 feet along the coast, and 4 to 6 feet in the Gulf Stream. Intracoastal waters will be moderately choppy.