Cold weather will continue throughout this weekend, with low temperatures dropping to around 38 degrees Fahrenheit with precipitation on Saturday, Jan. 31, with those cold temperatures continuing through Monday, Feb. 2. According to Bob Bunting, meteorologist and founder and CEO of Sarasota’s Climate Adaptation Center, wind gusts on Saturday evening could be as high as 45 miles per hour along the coast and inland, generating a wind chill effect that's below 32 degrees Fahrenheit—freezing temperature. 

“Do I think we’ll see snow on the ground? In my professional opinion, no,” Bunting says. “However, there is always a chance we could see a flurry in the air.”

Bunting says Florida’s recent cold temperatures have been the result of stratospheric warming over the North Pole that destabilizes pockets of cold air, causing those pockets to dip farther south than usual. It's known as a "polar vortex." 

“When you get stratospheric warming as a result of climate change, the jet streams across the northern part of the world weaken,” he says. “Those jet streams hold the cold air over the north, and when they weaken, that cold air is able to drop from the North Pole all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.”

Because of Florida’s high humidity and Saturday’s strong winds, Bunting says it’s going to feel extremely cold. And even though he’s skeptical about snow flurries,  he’s hopeful he might see a snowflake or two.

“The great thing about Florida is that we’re all weather nerds. Not just me.” Bunting says. “It’s great how the public wants to stay educated about weather and climate so we can protect our Florida way of life and live in a climate-resilient way.”

The Climate Adaptation Center’s Climate Champions Awards will be on Wednesday, March 11 at 11 a.m. at Michael’s on East. For more information about the Climate Adaptation Center, click here.