Tampa weather: Cold front to plummet temperatures this weekend

TAMPA, Fla. - A late Thursday cold front will sweep across the state, dropping weekend morning temperatures into the 40s across portions of Central Florida.

Florida cold front arrival

What we know:

A late Thursday cold front will sweep across Florida, delivering the coldest air of the season just in time for the weekend. High clouds will continue streaming across the state over the next few days as the front approaches.

Rain chances remain minimal with the frontal passage, but dew points will drop into the 30s. 

Morning low temperatures across parts of Central Florida will tumble into the 40s by Saturday.

Sunshine and rain chances

What we don't know:

Meteorologists have not confirmed exact rainfall accumulation totals, though forecasters do not expect much rain to accompany the boundary. 

Jet stream weather pattern

The backstory:

An active El Niño weather pattern is keeping a subtropical jet stream stationed directly overhead. That persistent upper-level jet stream will continue to push high cloud cover across Florida during the coming days.

Rebounding Florida temperatures

What's next:

The blast of cold air will not linger for long across the region. Central Florida temperatures will rebound quickly heading into early next week as warmer air returns.

The Source

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg, who detailed regional atmospheric models and forecast outlooks for Central Florida.