ORLANDO, Fla. – A nice but warm day is on tap across Central Florida as temperatures climb slightly higher than normal in the mid to low 80s inland and upper 70s along the coast with gusts up to 15-20 mph.
The warming trend will continue Friday night and temperatures will stay mild in the 60s, thanks to the southeast winds ushering in some moisture.
Get ready for the hottest weekend of the year to arrive starting Saturday as southerly winds continue to drag in heat and humidity out of the tropics. Saturday will see highs pushing into the mid to upper 80s inland, with low to mid 80s along the coast.
Breezy conditions will set in, with gusts up to 20 mph inland and 20-30 mph closer to the coast. A weak sea breeze may keep things a few degrees cooler by the shore, but overall, it’ll be warm.
Sunday morning will start out in the upper 60s to around 70°F, before highs get close to near record breaking temperatures near 90 degrees.
By Sunday evening, a cold front will start to make its move across the Florida Panhandle.
Ahead of the front, we’ll see showers and possibly some lightning storms forming. While Sunday will be mostly dry, expect gusty conditions throughout the day, with winds reaching 25-35 mph by the afternoon.
Late Sunday evening, we could see a line of storms moving in, primarily affecting areas north of I-4.
Although the risk for severe weather is low, a few strong storms are possible, especially with some wind shear and instability in the atmosphere. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Marginal Risk (level 1 out of 5) for strong storms on Sunday night in areas near and north of I-4.
Monday will bring a noticeable change in the weather for St. Patrick’s Day.
A cold front will push through, and temperatures will cool down significantly. Expect highs only in the low to mid 70s, which is closer to normal for mid-March. Winds will be breezy, especially along the coast.
Comfortable and cool air will continue to settle in with temperatures potentially dipping into the upper 40s across neighborhoods northwest of I-4.
Dry weather will stick around through the middle of the week, and temperatures will gradually warm up again, reaching back into the 80s by Wednesday and Thursday.
Stay tuned for updates as we track these changes, and be prepared for some heat and storms this weekend!