Sharp Cool-down to Follow Significant Rain Event

It's time to start digging out the jackets and sweaters.

The long-awaited seasonal cooldown after the end of an exceptionally hot summer will arrive in earnest next week after the passage of a series of reinforcing cold fronts.

Heavy rains are expected over Florida beginning Wednesday night, and rain will linger for several days before a series of fronts sweeps in a colder air mass that will leave morning lows in the 50's for the Lake Wales Ridge area.

The potential for development of the tropical system is effectively zero, according to the National Hurricane Center, but strong storms are expected nevertheless.

The National Weather Service office in Ruskin has forecast an 80 percent chance of rain for the area, along with a chance of damaging wind gusts associated with thunderstorms. Gusts could reach 60 mph, and a slight chance of tornadoes are also mentioned.

The worst of the storm should pass by late Thursday, but a very moist air mall will remain over the state, keeping rain chances elevated through Saturday. By Sunday a major change will be evident, and lows of 60° F or colder for much of the week.