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Today’s Forecast

77º | Light thunderstorms and rain | 90% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:20 a.m. | Sunset 5:49 p.m.
 

❄️ Florida winter is coming

Winter 2025 weather forecast for Lakeland
Cloudy sky over downtown Lakeland, FL streets and businesses
Winter is on the way, weather you like it or not. | Photo by @nicolefeller_
We know the question on your mind, Lakelanders — when’s it going to get cold? Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, we know what temperatures and precipitation trends to expect in our city for December, January, and February. While exact weather conditions typically can’t be predicted more than a week in advance, here’s a seasonal outlook to help you prepare for what winter will bring.

Reminder: The first day of winter is on Thursday, Dec. 21.

A US map showing temperature predictions for the 2023-2024 winter season.

We’ll have to wait and see if it’s a chilly or warm winter.

|

Map via NOAA

Temperature

It could go either way. Our city is predicted to experience typical winter temperatures for the area.

Precipitation

Expect above average precipitation. Lakeland has a 60-70% chance of seeing above-normal rainfall amounts this winter.

What we’ll deal with in December

Typically in December, average temperatures will only fluctuate between 55.4° and 72.5°. Pro tip: December has the shortest days of the year and is the month with the least amount of sunshine, so midday is the best time to get outdoors at places like Bonnet Springs Park.

Jumping into January

Break out your scarves. We probably won’t see any snow, but the first month of the year is usually also the coldest — average high and low temps will likely be between 68.5° and 50.9°. January also has the fewest days of rainfall, with an average of around 4.3 rainy days. We’ll see if that number grows, since this winter is predicted to be rainier.

The forecast for February

Temperatures will start to climb back up in February. Average highs will reach 72.9°, and lows will grow to 54.3°. We can start preparing for springtime strolls through Hollis Garden with 7.8 average hours of sunshine each day and a cloud cover of 37% — the highest of the year.
Asked

How often do you travel locally/regionally?
A. Weekly
B. Monthly
C. A few times a year
D. Never
Share your answer
 
Events
Monday, Dec. 4
  • Art on Tap: A Paint & Sip Soirée | Monday, Dec. 4 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | $45 | Let out your inner artist while you sip your favorite drinks by Swan Brewing.
  • Glory of Christmas Concert | Monday, Dec. 4 | 7 p.m. | First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Dr., Lakeland | Free | Performers at this concert include a harpist, organist, and the women’s ensemble from Harrison School for the Arts.
Tuesday, Dec. 5
  • Christmas Trivia | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Keel Farms, 5202 Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City | Free entry | Make a dinner reservation and show what you know-ho-ho about the holiday season.
Wednesday, Dec. 6
  • Salsa y Bachata Class | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 6:15-8:15 p.m. | Coleman Bush Building, 1104 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $10 | Learn two Latin dances in an hour-long class, then show off your moves in a social.
Thursday, Dec. 7
  • The Lakeland Christmas Parade | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 7-9 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free | See floats decorated with this year’s “Christmas in Candy Land” theme pass through downtown Lakeland.
Friday, Dec. 8
  • Harry Connick Jr.'s “The Happy Elf” | Friday, Dec. 8-Sunday, Dec. 17 | Times vary | Lakeland Community Theatre, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $12-$15 | Young actors will perform this musical comedy about an elf’s quest to put a town on the nice list.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
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Holiday
 

See Bonnet Springs Park’s first two-week holiday event
christmas lights set against a dark backdrop
Bonnet Springs Park will be hosting dozens of different activities spread across two+ weeks of fun. | Photo via Pexels
Experience love at first light at Bonnet Springs Park’s Light Up BSP, happening nightly Friday, Dec.15-Sunday, Dec. 31.

Enjoy lights, holiday music, visits with Santa, seasonal food + drinks, “magic” snow, family-friendly activities + more — plus specially-themed weekend events, including:

Dec. 15-17
  • Friday: All is Bright
  • Saturday: Snowflake Soiree
  • Sunday: Holiday Honky Tonk
Dec. 22-23
  • Friday: Timeless Tidings
  • Saturday: Jingle Bell Rock
Dec. 29-31
  • Friday: Elves Night Off
  • Saturday: Winter Wonderland
  • Sunday: Glow in the Park
Plus, sensory-friendly activities on Dec. 21 + 26.
 
 
News Notes
Civic
  • Cast your vote tomorrow in the runoff election between Sam Simmons and Guy LaLonde Jr. for the District A Northwest City Commission seat. Head to your polling place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to make your voice heard. (LkldNow)
Development
  • Williams Acquisition Holding Company will request a permit to build a 1,400-acre solar power farm near Florida Polytechnic University in today’s City Commission meeting. If approved after a future public hearing, the farm could supply power to Lakeland Electric. (The Ledger)
Closed
  • Unfiltered Lakeland announced on Friday that it has permanently closed, citing economic issues. The coffee house opened its Lakeland location in February. Its original location remains open at 160 S. Broadway Ave, Bartow.
Number
  • $1.5 billion. That’s Lakeland Linder International Airport’s annual economic impact, up from $274 million in 2011. It was the 38th busiest cargo airport in the US last year, with 65+ businesses now operating out of LAL. (Fox 13 News)
Environment
  • The City of Lakeland has selected AECOM Technical Services, Inc. to lead a stormwater infrastructure improvement project at Lake Bonnet. The six-year project will be funded by a $42.9 million state grant initiative to guard against natural disasters.
Ranked
  • No. 4. That’s what Polk State College ranked on a list of Tampa Bay’s largest colleges + universities, with 13,283 students enrolled this fall. Southeastern University, Florida Southern College, and Florida Polytechnic University made the list at No. 6, 10, and 14, respectively. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Drink
  • The 12 Days of Tapping begin on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at The Brass Tap in Lakeside Village. Stop in each day for a newly tapped festive beer — Wicked Weed Milk & Cookies, Boulevard Cinnamon Bun Ale, and more are on the tap list.
Services
  • Have you checked on your AC recently? Don’t wait and see – preventative maintenance extends the life of your unit and keeps it running happily + efficiently. You’d be surprised what a Payne Protection Program and its discounts, priority service calls, no overtime rates, and other perks can save you.*
Finance
  • Masterworks is a platform that helps you invest in multi-million dollar art by names like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, for just thousands – not millions. When Masterworks sells a painting, like the 16 it’s already sold, investors can get a return. 6AM City readers can skip the waitlist to join.**
**Investing involves risk and past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures and aggregate advisory performance masterworks.com/cd.
 
Real Estate

Be the broker

Be the broker: Which vacant office spaces would you like to see become affordable housing?
A vacant storefront has a light stone and mauve tile facade.
Which former commercial spots do you think could be housing? | Photo via Google Maps
Have you noticed some of the empty office space around town? Office vacancies are at 25.5% as of 2022. Compare those numbers to the national office vacancy rate, which was 17.8% as of September 2023. One possible use for vacant offices? Affordable housing.

Recently, the White House released a new plan to convert commercial buildings into residential housing — affordable housing in particular. Resources will be made available from 20+ programs across multiple agencies, including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

We’re talking below-market loans, grants, and tax credits... all available to help take advantage of preexisting buildings to make more affordable housing.

Which vacant spaces would you like to see converted?

Have you passed an empty office building that would be a sweet apartment? How about some empty warehouses near Lakeland’s main roads that would make for a quick commute?

Tell us which spaces you’d like to see remade into housing, and we may feature your picks in an upcoming newsletter.
The Buy

The Buy 12.04.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
A fun and useful gift that’s sure to get the holiday party started: a margarita machine.
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The Wrap
 
Connor-Keith-Headshot-LAL

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
I’m counting down the days until the Lakeland Christmas Parade, as I’m sure many of you are. If you’ve got a parade pro tip for other readers to try during the parade — from the best viewing spot to where to park — share it with us.
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