MIAMI – The coldest air of the winter season so far is entering South Florida during the week.

Temperatures dropped to the 40s and 50s Wednesday morning in Miami-Dade and Broward counties as northerly winds send cool air across the region.

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Highs won’t reach the upper 60s until Wednesday, but the frigid storm of arctic air won’t arrive until Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Lows are expected in the 40s Thursday morning, which will be the coldest air Miami has felt since January 2023.

The sharp drop in degrees coincides with the passage of a strong cold front associated with a low pressure system that brought 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) of snow from parts of the mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys to the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States on Monday into early Tuesday into it. Reagan National Airport in Washington DC measured 7.2 inches.

The cooling will be particularly noticeable in South Florida, considering Miami hasn’t recorded a temperature below 50 degrees in about two years.

The last time Miami dipped into the 40s was Jan. 16, 2023, when a low of 44 degrees was recorded at Miami International Airport, the official reporting station.

The cold snap will continue for the rest of the work week. Cool mornings will be complemented by cooler than average afternoon high temperatures, reaching in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday.

A sense of normalcy returns to South Florida Friday afternoon as east-southeast winds move in. What starts out as a cool morning will turn into a more seasonable day as temperatures are expected to peak in the mid-70s.

However, don’t skip out on cold weather gear. Another cold front could begin its journey across the Sunshine State as early as Saturday.