Ocala, Florida breaks 84-year old cold record

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Children were bundled at bus stops. Workers left home in sweaters and light jackets. Heat pumps switched on earlier than normal.

Monday morning, the temperature dipped to 49 degrees in Ocala - a record low for the day.

The previous record was 50 degrees, set in 1930. The official measuring site is the city water plant at Southeast 36th Avenue just north of Maricamp Road.

Monday morning's daybreak low temperatures ranged from 46 degrees near Salt Springs to 52 degrees in Ocala.

The official forecast for rainfall and temperatures can range significantly throughout Marion County. The county's official forecast is issued by the weather service, while the Star-Banner's weather page uses AccuWeather forecasts. Sometimes those predictions differ.

National Weather Service forecaster Kate Guillet said the cold front began pushing through late Friday night from the central Plains, bringing relief to a very wet three weeks in Marion County.

"It brought cooler and drier weather," she noted. "The temperatures dropped very quickly because there were no clouds (to hold in the heat)."

Sunday's morning low in Ocala hit 50 degrees, just missing the record of 49 degrees set in 1987.

While Gainesville broke a record on Sunday morning, hitting 47 degrees, Monday's low dipped to 49 degrees, a degree more than the Oct. 6 record of 48 degrees set in 1979.

The weather service's official forecast is calling for daybreak low temperatures to be in the low 60s for the next few days and then reach the mid-60s through Sunday. High temperatures will hit the upper-80s through Sunday.