Forecast: Finally a cooldown, and just in time for the weekend

TAMPA, Fla. - It may be Trick-or-Treat this week, but the real treat for Floridians will be the weather. The fall’s first real cold front will finally cool things off for a few days this weekend.

Tampa, like many Florida cities, has been experiencing record-or near-record heat for the last several days, and the summer-like humidity has pushed heat indexes almost to triple digits. But the cold front will drop both the heat and humidity.

FOX 13 chief meteorologist Paul Dellegatto says the cooldown will start on Friday. Temperatures that afternoon will range from low 80s in the southern counties to the upper 60s to the north.

The break from the heat will last through the weekend, but Paul warns that temperatures and humidity will begin climbing again on Monday and the long-range outlook is for higher-than average temperatures.

LINK: FOX 13 weather updates