ORLANDO, Fla. – A small taste of “Florida fall” is nearing the area Thursday as a rare cold front ushers in a much drier outlook for the weekend.
THURSDAY:
A weak cold front will shift southward through the day, keeping plenty of moisture and instability.
This setup is expected to produce a 50-60% chance of scattered showers and storms. The highest coverage will be south of Orlando and toward the coast.
While it will remain humid, a more northerly shift in our wind pattern should keep temperatures closer to normal in the upper 80s to low 90s, with heat indices between 100-103 degrees.
FRIDAY- SUNDAY:
A very welcomed break from the summer heat and humidity begins as a plume of dry air settles in. Lower humidity values will make conditions feel very comfortable with highs running below average, near 90 degrees.
The pleasant weather will continue through the evening and overnight hours with lows ranging from the low to mid 70s.
A few neighborhoods further inland could even dip below the 70-degree mark Friday and Saturday night!
TROPICS:
Along with the best weekend weather of the summer season, the cold front is also keeping Hurricane Ernesto more than 700 miles away from the Florida coast. It is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane by the weekend as it approaches the island of Bermuda.
As it tracks north, Ernesto will produce long period swells that will lead to rough surf and a high risk of rip currents at east coast beaches Friday and Saturday.
A small craft advisory remain in effect for boaters as seas will remain choppy.