Hurricane force wind gusts are possible with the strongest storms as they race in around sunrise near Pensacola.

Hurricane researchers at Colorado State University are forecasting another active season, even as residents of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts may still be recovering from last year's historic events.

An unusually cold air mass has swept across the Sunshine State, and a late-season frost is likely Friday night across inland areas of the panhandle and northeast Florida.

A line of thunderstorms moving through the Florida Panhandle early this morning intensified some, and has prompted the issuance of a Tornado Watch for the Big Bend and eastern Panhandle area until 1 PM.

A strong storm system that is expected to produce an outbreak of tornadoes and damaging winds over Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia could also produce a few instances of severe weather in parts of the Panhandle and North Florida late Wednesday night into Thursday.

Severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds are becoming increasingly probably over a large area of the Deep South Wednesday, and a few of these storms may affect portions of the Florida Panhandle.

After a cold front moves through Monday, a drier and milder pattern will be moving into Florida.

Multiple rounds of storms are possible near Panama City and Tallahassee Thursday, some of which could produce wind damage or a tornado.