Florida gets several rounds of rain this week and a holiday weekend cold blast

Two storm systems will bring a lot of wet weather to Florida this week and some very chilly temperatures this weekend.

The first weather system brings widespread rain to the Panhandle tonight and tomorrow morning.  That large wave of showers spreads into north Florida and the Peninsula during the afternoon and evening.  No severe weather is expected for anyone. 

The second system arrives as a cold front Thursday into early Friday with more rain likely and isolated t-storms.  Behind that strong front, a widespread freeze is expected from the Panhandle into north and parts of central Florida late Friday into early Saturday.  Near or below freezing temps are forecasted for Christmas and Monday mornings too for those same areas.

In the Panhandle, the bitter cold air arrives during the day Friday, so residents should plan for a hard freeze with morning lows in the teens and 20s over the holiday weekend, and highs only in the 30s and 40s. Freezing temperatures could make their way as far south as Ocala and near or just north of Tampa and Orlando.

Please factor this big chill into your holiday plans, and don't forget to take care of your pets and plants too.