ORLANDO, Fla. – On Sunday, we’re in for some gusty winds from the southwest as a strong cold front approaches.
Winds will pick up through the day, with sustained speeds between 15-25 mph. Due to the high chance for gusts upwards of 30-45 mph, a Wind Advisory is in effect from counties from Orange County northward until 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The strong southwest winds will help push temperatures well above normal, with highs in the mid to upper 80s, close to daily records in Melbourne.
In the afternoon, a line of showers and possibly some isolated storms will push through, just ahead of the cold front, arrive across Marion and Flagler counties around 1-3 p.m. This line will gradually weaken as it moves southward across east-Central Florida through the late afternoon and evening.
Even though the storms might lack lightning, the showers can still produce gusty winds up to 40-45 mph, especially through the I-4 corridor. Rain chances will be highest (60-70%) in Lake and Volusia counties, down to 20-30% from Melbourne to Lake Kissimmee as the system weakens.
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For race fans heading to Daytona Beach for the Daytona 500, latest forecast models show rain approaching the speedway between 3-5pm.
Behind the cold front, temperatures will cool off quickly through the overnight hours. Most places will see lows in the 50s, with northern Lake and Volusia counties possibly getting into the upper 40s by daybreak early Monday.
President’s Day will be cooler and drier behind the front. Highs will be in the 60s to near 70 degrees, with lows dropping into the 50s Monday night, and mid to upper 40s in areas northwest of I-4.
By Wednesday, an area of low pressure will develop near the northern Gulf Coast, pushing east-northeast across north Florida. This will bring another cold front through the area, with scattered showers and possibly a few thunderstorms. Highs on Wednesday will be in the low 80s, with temps cooling to the 50s and low 60s Wednesday night.
Once the front clears, cooler weather will take over with highs ranging from the mid 60s to mid 70s starting Thursday and continuing into the weekend. The coldest night looks to be Thursday, with lows in the 40s,reaching a bit further south.
It will remain mostly dry through the end of the week.