Tampa, FL – Autumn officially begins at 2:19 p.m. EDT today, but residents across West Central and Southwest Florida won’t be reaching for jackets anytime soon. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Tampa Bay, the region will continue to experience summerlike conditions well into October.
The NWS explained that while a brief shot or two of cooler air is possible during October, significant temperature drops are uncommon until November. Historic weather records show the average first day with overnight lows below 60 degrees typically occurs in late October or early November across the Tampa Bay area.
For example, Tampa’s long-term mean date for the first night below 60 degrees is October 21, while Sarasota-Bradenton averages October 22, and Fort Myers holds off until October 29. In some years, the milestone hasn’t arrived until late November or even December.
A map released by the NWS highlights the range of average first cool nights across the region, from October 3 in Brooksville to as late as October 28 in Venice. A temperature chart further illustrates how normal low temperatures gradually dip into the 60s by late October before settling into the 50s by mid-November.
Residents should expect mostly warm and humid evenings for the next several weeks. The NWS recommends planning fall activities with the understanding that meaningful relief from the heat is still weeks away.
For ongoing updates and detailed forecasts, visit weather.gov/tbw/whencool.
