New Year’s Day forecast: Temperatures in the 50s with a high chance of clouds, rain

The new year will ring in some new weather — cold, wet and, within five days, possibly freezing.

Clouds and rain will slowly be developing over the Gulf of Mexico over the next three days fueled by a cold Polar air mass coming through, according to Mike Clay, Spectrum Bay News 9 chief meteorologist.

The air mass will hit hard right on New Year’s Day, Clay added.

“Expect much cooler weather to move in to start the new year,” Clay said Thursday.

Although the weather will stay consistent Friday through Sunday, with overnight lows of 55 to 60 degrees and daytime highs in the low to mid 70s with patchy late night and early morning fog and low chances for rain, a big change will come Monday, which could dawn in Bradenton around 52 degrees and overcast, said Dan Noah, a meteorologist with The National Weather Service in Ruskin.

“Beginning New Year’s Day, temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees below normal, which is 74 degrees, and the chance of rain will be 40 percent,” Noah said. “Monday could start out at 52 degrees, pretty chilly.”

By midday on Jan. 1, expect temperatures to warm up to just 58 degrees, Noah added.

But even that is toasty compared to what Noah forecasts for Jan. 5.

“January 5 could drop to near freezing or below,” Noah said.

After New Year’s Day, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will warm up slightly into the mid-60s ahead of Friday’s plunge, Noah added.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 4:36 PM with the headline "New Year’s Day forecast: Temperatures in the 50s with a high chance of clouds, rain."