Florida freeze: Remember the 5 Ps to help you prepare for extreme cold

ORLANDO, Fla. - An Extreme Cold Watch has been issued for all of Central Florida this weekend as some of the coldest air in years moves into the area.  The watch will be in effect from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon.

Dangerously cold wind chills as low as 7 degrees will be possible, according to the National Weather Service.  Orlando will see low temperatures below freezing for three of the next five mornings.

How do you keep your plants alive? Will your pipes be affected? How do you keep your family safe? 

Practice the 5 Ps

What you can do:

The FOX 35 Storm Team wants to remind you of the simple 5 Ps to follow during Florida's cold weather.

People

Hypothermia can be a risk with prolonged exposure to cold weather, especially if a person is sweating or wet, Seminole County officials said. Be sure to bundle up and stay warm during the cold weather. Also, check on your elderly neighbors to be sure they are ok.

Pets

If you're cold, they're cold. Pets should be inside during extreme temperatures. Don't leave Fido and Fluffy outside!

Pipes

When temperatures fall as low as they are forecast, your pipes may need extra protection.  Plumbers suggest wrapping exposed pipes and possibly continuing leaving some faucets on a light trickle.

Pools

While it's not really an issue in Florida, you'll still want to be cautious: keep your pool pump to keep things flowing through the pipes.

Plants

Hard freezes can easily kill plants. Be sure to bring them indoors or cover them up.  Experts recommend using frost cloth, sometimes known as "plankets," which are sold at plant nurseries and garden centers. If you can’t find frost cloth, you can use bedsheets, but make sure the sheet doesn’t have holes. Plastic sheets are not recommended. 

Bonus: Fire & heater safety

Use safe heating sources indoors. Do not use fuel burning devices like grills: the Marion County Sheriff's Office says they release deadly carbon monoxide. 

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Record lows and wind chills possible

Behind the front, much colder air will pour into the area. Real temperatures will drop into the 20s across the entire region. 

Wind chills early Sunday morning are expected to fall into the single digits and teens, marking the coldest apparent temperatures of the event. 

Forecasters say the outbreak is shaping up to be the coldest Central Florida has seen since 2010. In Orlando, standing records for Feb. 1 are the coldest high of 48 degrees and the coldest low of 28 degrees, both set decades ago. Temperatures are expected to easily break those records in 2026, with local weather records dating back to 1893.

The extreme cold will also bring historic wind chills. Orlando International Airport could see one of its six lowest wind chill readings on record. The lowest ever recorded there was 4 degrees during the major cold outbreak of 1985.