FORT WALTON BEACH — Emerald Coast residents can expect a return to warmer temperatures by midweek, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile, Ala.
Cold weather surprised the area this weekend, bringing temperatures in the low 40s.
“This is definitely unseasonably cold,” said John Purdy, a meteorologist with the weather service. “The reason is because of (Hurricane) Sandy. We’re on the backside of Sandy. … There’s a moderate, prolonged north wind that’s bringing all the cold weather into our area.”
In Fort Walton Beach on Monday night, temperatures were expected to dip to 39 degrees, which is about 10 degrees below average, Purdy said.
Crestview temperatures were forecast to drop as low as 34 degrees.
Tuesday’s lows are expected to be slightly warmer at 40 to 45 degrees in Fort Walton Beach and 51 degrees in Destin.
“Wednesday night is when we’ll turn back to normal,” Purdy said. “We will warm back up.”
The cold weather has kept many folks — both tourists and locals — away from the beaches in the past three days.
“It’s tremendously slowed things down,” said Ron Ray, who works at the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier. “Normally we don’t see this until December.”
Ray said a few visitors showed up early Monday, but most people opted to stay indoors.
Even the beach was virtually empty Monday afternoon, he said.
“I don’t even see the occasional book reader (on the beach),” Ray said. “It just kills everything.”
A few diehard anglers were fishing and catching a mix of sheepshead, king mackerel and bluefish, he added.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: It’s ‘unseasonably cold' in Okaloosa County, but not for long