Following record warmth over Florida during February, the first weekend of March will bring much cooler and less humid air and more seasonable temperatures.

Nearly every major city in Florida has experienced their warmest February on record this past month.

Some locations have blown away the old record monthly record by several degrees.

For example, in Tampa, Florida, the old February average temperature record was 70.1 degrees Fahrenheit in 1949. This February, the average temperature was 74.2, or just over 4 degrees higher.

Orlando, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Fort Myers, Miami and West Palm Beach were among the cities which solidly broke February records set in 1949, 1959, 1982 and 2017.

Much cooler air is forecast to sweep across Florida and the southeastern United States in general into this weekend.

The break in the warmth will be brought to the region courtesy of the strongest nor'easter to affect the Atlantic coast since early January.

"This will end up being the coolest weather in about a month," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.

Temperatures will be slashed by 10 to 20 degrees across the state by this weekend.

Highs will range from the middle 60s around Jacksonville to near 70 over the panhandle and the middle to upper 70s in South Florida and the Keys.

While strong March sunshine will negate some of the cool conditions during the day, the most notable change will be at night. Temperatures are forecast to dip into the upper 40s during at least a couple of nights in Orlando this weekend into early next week.

Unlike much of February, temperatures most days are forecast to be near or below average over much of Florida for at least the first half of March.

People who mind the cool conditions may need a jacket and long sleeves if they will be out and about in the evening or first thing in the morning.

People in the Bahamas, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands will also notice the change to cooler air and less humid conditions by early next week. However, some locations in the northern Caribbean have experienced cooler-than-average conditions during much of February.

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The weather will make for delightful conditions for those heading to theme parks for vacation or spring break, according to Pydynowski.

However, the powerful storm that spins off the northeastern U.S. will generate large waves that will propagate thousands of miles outward and will reach shoreline areas in the form of rough surf, dangerous offshore seas and strong rip currents.

"People hitting the Florida east coast or northern Caribbean beaches should use caution this weekend into next week," Pydynowski said.

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