Roll Call: Florida's first Fall chill. Right on schedule?

Florida is finally getting a taste of fall as a strong cold front ushers in the coldest air of the season so far. From the Panhandle to South Florida, temperatures are dropping 10 to 15 degrees below normal in some areas, bringing chilly mornings, breezy afternoons and much lower humidity.

Florida Storms meteorologist Leslie Hudson examines the science, historical timing and what this first substantial taste of fall could mean for the weeks ahead.

North Florida will experience some of the coldest conditions, with temperatures dipping into the 30s and 40s and patchy frost possible in some inland communities. Central Florida will see morning lows in the 40s, while parts of South Florida will cool into the 50s.

But is Florida's first significant fall chill arriving early, late or right on schedule?

Historical weather records reveal that Central Florida typically experiences its first temperatures below 50 degrees in early November, while communities farther south often wait until mid-November or later. And what about the developing El Niño? While it can influence Florida's winter weather patterns, the immediate driver of this cold snap is a dip in the jet stream allowing colder Canadian air to spill southward.

And the cool weather isn't expected to last indefinitely. Temperatures should gradually rebound toward seasonal averages early next week. But the coldest mornings could bring patchy frost to portions of inland North Florida, so residents with sensitive plants should pay attention to local forecasts. And while this may be Florida's first substantial fall chill, the developing El Niño could make the months ahead wetter and stormier than usual—though it doesn't guarantee a colder winter.