LOW YOUR THERMOMETER WILL DROP. COMING UP NEXT TIME I SEE YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. MARQUISE AND OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES RIGHT NOW UP IN OCALA. THAT IS WHERE SOME OF THE LOWEST TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO HIT TONIGHT. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND WESH 2’S DAVID JONES. HE IS LIVE FOR US AND HE’S ALL BUNDLED UP. AND THAT’S PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU GOT TO DO TONIGHT. GOT TO LAYER. SUMMER I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND I TOLD MYSELF, I AM NOT GOING TO BE COLD. I MADE THAT VOW TO MYSELF. SO I’VE GOT MY PEA COAT ON. I’VE GOT MY SNOW JACKET ON. Y’ALL COULD SEND ME UP TO GEORGIA AND I STILL WOULD NOT BE COLD. AT LEAST I’M MAKING MY BEST EFFORTS TO TO ADHERE TO THAT. MY FACE, PROBABLY MY NOSE. YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT RED TOO. SO THE COLD IS BREAKING THROUGH THE WIND. CHILLS. WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE WIND CHILLS AND JUST HOW MUCH THEY’RE LOWERING. THAT FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURE DEFINITELY CAN BE FELT HERE TONIGHT. WE’VE GOTTEN A LOT OF WIND GUSTS KIND OF COMING THROUGH THIS AREA AS WELL. BUT DESPITE THE COLD, PEOPLE ARE STILL HEADING OUT. MANY BUNDLED UP, MAYBE NOT AS MANY BUNDLED UP AS MUCH AS I AM, BUT STILL, BUSINESSES IN HERE IN DOWNTOWN OCALA TELL ME THAT THEY REALLY HAVEN’T FELT THE EFFECTS. THE CHILLING EFFECTS FROM THIS COLD. RESTAURANTS ALONG MAGNOLIA PACKED AS DINERS BRAVED THE COLD FOR A NIGHT ON THE TOWN. WHEN IS THIS GOING AWAY? A SENTIMENT ECHOED BY SOME, YOU KNOW, NOT A TYPICAL FLORIDA DAY OR NIGHT, FOR THAT MATTER. BUT DEFINITELY WARMER THAN MOST OF THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AT THIS POINT. SO SHAWN THOMAS WAS ONE OF THE PATRONS AT BRICK CITY, A PACKED HOUSE. AS THE COLD MOVED IN. BUT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE INSIDE. WE’VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME IN BECAUSE WE ARE LIKE, WE’RE REALLY WARM IN THERE. MAYOR LAZARO WORKS HERE. I LOVE THE COLD. LIKE PERSONALLY, WHICH, AS YOU CAN SEE, LIKE NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OUT OUTSIDE ON OUR PATIO. BASICALLY, WE SHUT DOWN THIS AREA, WE OPENED OUR BACK PRIVATE DINING ROOM, JUST SET THAT OPEN FOR OPEN SEATING. MICHAEL MINK IS GENERAL MANAGER OF MARK’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE. YEAH, WE DIDN’T SEE ANY DIP IN BUSINESS AT ALL. I THINK ULTIMATELY IT’S A LITTLE WINDY. IT’S A LITTLE COLD. THE WIND IS THE BIG FACTOR HERE, LEADING TO BONE CHILLING TEMPERATURES. FEELS LIKE DOWN IN THE TEENS BY SUNDAY MORNING. PROTECTING THE PEACE OF THE COLD. PEOPLE, PETS, PLANTS, PIPES AND PRACTICING FIRE SAFETY ARE ALL CRITICAL REMINDERS. THE MARION COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS WARNING PEOPLE ABOUT, PLUS AN INCREASED RISK OF WILDFIRES AS AN EXTREME DROUGHT CONTINUES AND VEGETATION DRIES OUT. LIKE CENTRAL FLORIDA RIGHT NOW IS LIKE SO COLD FOR NO REASON. AND WE’RE NOT USED TO IT IN FLORIDA, BUT ALSO LIKE COMING FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE. I CAN DEFINITELY SEE LIKE THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT IS VERY WARM INSIDE AND IT’S VERY SURPRISING. I KNOW, SHE SAID CENTRAL FLORIDA’S COLD FOR NO REASON. WE’VE CLEARLY LAID OUT ALL THE METEOROLOGICAL REASONS AS TO WHY WE ARE SO COLD. BUT LOOK, WE’RE STILL NOWHERE NEAR THE WORST OF IT. THIS IS GOING TO COME LATER INTO TOMORROW MORNING, SO HOPEFULLY YOU’VE MADE ALL YOUR PREPARATIONS, BUT WE’LL S
‘Not a typical Florida day’: Temperatures in Ocala expected to drop into teens overnight
Updated: 10:25 PM EST Jan 31, 2026
Ocala is experiencing a cold snap with temperatures dropping to a crisp 30 degrees, and the wind chill making it feel even colder, potentially reaching the teens by Sunday morning.Residents are bundling up in full winter gear, as demonstrated by David Jones, who reported wearing a pea coat over a snow jacket, along with a beanie and gloves to stay warm.Despite the cold, businesses in Ocala remain open, with restaurants along Magnolia packed as diners brave the chilly weather for a night out.Cheryl Thompson, a local resident, expressed her frustration with the cold, saying, “When is this going away!”Shawn Thomas, another resident dining at Brick City, noted, “Definitely not a typical Florida day, or night, but definitely warmer than the rest of the country at this point so.”Mia Lazaro from Brick City Southern Kitchen observed, “So many people are inside, we’ve had so many people come in because we’re really warm in there.” She added, “I love the cold, personally, but as you can see not a lot of people are outside on our patio.”Michael Mink, general manager of Mark’s Prime Steakhouse, said, “We closed this area, opened our back private dining room for open seating.”He noted, “We didn’t see any dip in business at all. I think ultimately it’s a little windy, a little cold.”The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents to protect people, pets, plants, pipes, and practice fire safety due to the cold. Additionally, there is an increased risk of wildfires as an extreme drought continues and vegetation dries out.Mia Lazaro remarked on the unusual weather, saying, “Central Florida right now is so cold for no reason and we’re not used to it. But coming from inside to outside, I can definitely see the difference because it’s very warm inside and it’s very surprising.”Residents are urged to make preparations for the night as the cold is expected to intensify.
Ocala is experiencing a cold snap with temperatures dropping to a crisp 30 degrees, and the wind chill making it feel even colder, potentially reaching the teens by Sunday morning.
Residents are bundling up in full winter gear, as demonstrated by David Jones, who reported wearing a pea coat over a snow jacket, along with a beanie and gloves to stay warm.
Despite the cold, businesses in Ocala remain open, with restaurants along Magnolia packed as diners brave the chilly weather for a night out.
Cheryl Thompson, a local resident, expressed her frustration with the cold, saying, “When is this going away!”
Shawn Thomas, another resident dining at Brick City, noted, “Definitely not a typical Florida day, or night, but definitely warmer than the rest of the country at this point so.”
Mia Lazaro from Brick City Southern Kitchen observed, “So many people are inside, we’ve had so many people come in because we’re really warm in there.” She added, “I love the cold, personally, but as you can see not a lot of people are outside on our patio.”
Michael Mink, general manager of Mark’s Prime Steakhouse, said, “We closed this area, opened our back private dining room for open seating.”
He noted, “We didn’t see any dip in business at all. I think ultimately it’s a little windy, a little cold.”
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents to protect people, pets, plants, pipes, and practice fire safety due to the cold. Additionally, there is an increased risk of wildfires as an extreme drought continues and vegetation dries out.
Mia Lazaro remarked on the unusual weather, saying, “Central Florida right now is so cold for no reason and we’re not used to it. But coming from inside to outside, I can definitely see the difference because it’s very warm inside and it’s very surprising.”
Residents are urged to make preparations for the night as the cold is expected to intensify.