ORLANDO, Fla. – About 1,000 miles to our north and west, a strong low-pressure system is on the move across the Upper Midwest.
This system is bringing along a powerful cold front, triggering rounds of severe storms from the Great Lakes to the Deep South this weekend.
As Central Florida awaits for the arrival of this system by Sunday afternoon, temperatures and winds are expected to pick up through the next two days.
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As this week’s high-pressure system moves away, winds will pick up, especially near the coast. Expect sustained winds of 10-15 mph, with gusts reaching 20-30 mph, particularly right along the shore.
With plenty of sunshine and increasing winds, temperatures will climb into the upper 80s inland. Coastal areas will be a bit cooler, staying in the low to mid 80s due to the breezy conditions and the developing sea breeze.
Sunday to Monday: Strong storms on the way
By Sunday, a strong late-winter front will be approaching the Florida Panhandle by sunrise. A line of showers and storms will start tracking into the area by the afternoon, with some of these storms turning strong to severe as they push through.
Because of this, the Storm Prediction Center has highlighted Central Florida under a Marginal Risk (Level 1 of 5) for the potential for an isolated severe storm. Far northern Marion County remains under a Slight Risk (Level 2) as a higher threat for a pop up supercell.
Before the storms arrive, though, we’re in for another warm and windy day. Winds will be strongest along and north of the I-4 corridor, where gusts of 30-35 mph are expected. Thanks to mostly clear skies, temperatures will climb into the upper 80s and close to 90 degrees.
Areas further north could stay a bit cooler due to the earlier start to the rain and clouds, with highs in the mid 80s.
By the afternoon, expect a line of showers and storms to form across northern counties between noon and 2 p.m., with the line shifting along I-4 between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and clearing Central Florida by midnight. These storms could bring some heavy rain, lightning, and gusty winds.
The primary risks for east Central Florida will be strong wind gusts and possibly some small hail, though the chance of tornadoes is low. The timing and intensity of these storms are still being refined, but late Sunday afternoon and evening will be when things start to get more active.
Monday: Cooler by St. Patrick’s Day
Once the cold front moves through on Sunday night, we’ll feel a noticeable change on Monday. Drier air will start to filter in from the north and the breezy northwest winds will stick around. Temperatures will be cooler, only reaching the low 70s in the afternoon. After sunset, temperatures will drop quickly into the mid 40s to low 50s by Tuesday morning.
Temperatures will fluctuate a bit throughout the week, but overall, expect conditions to be slightly below normal early in the week, warming back up toward the end.
The warmest days will be Wednesday and Thursday, with highs climbing into the upper 70s and low 80s before another cold front moves through Thursday night. While this front looks mostly dry for now, we’ll keep an eye out for any potential showers on Thursday afternoon and evening.