Skip to main content

Heat builds before weekend storms arrive

A few storms may become strong to severe late Saturday night into Sunday morning

Saturday's cold front

ORLANDO, FLa. – A weak front is expected to move through Thursday afternoon and may trigger a few scattered showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise, tonight should stay fairly quiet with a mix of clouds and comfortable overnight lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.

Friday looks mostly dry, but the heat really ramps up. It will feel hot and close to record levels at times, and winds will start to pick up as we head toward the weekend. Storm chances also slowly increase as Central Florida moves into a more active pattern.

Friday's highs

Heat will be the main headline through Saturday, with afternoon highs pushing into the upper 80s and low 90s. That keeps heat risk elevated, so it’ll feel more like midsummer than late spring.

Saturday's highs

Weekend changes:

Saturday is likely the hottest and windiest day. Gusty southwest winds could reach 25–30 mph in the afternoon, and temperatures may climb into the low 90s. Some spots could even challenge daily record highs.

Winds

Things start to change late Saturday into Sunday as a stronger cold front moves in. This will bring widespread showers and thunderstorms, with rain chances jumping to around 50–70%.

There’s also enough tropical moisture in place that some of these storms could produce heavy rain in a short time, which raises a small risk of localized flooding. A marginal risk for excessive rainfall on Sunday.

Excessive rainfall outlook

A few storms may briefly strengthen, producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, small hail, and heavy rainfall at times. A Marginal Risk is in place for several counties on Saturday, highlighting the potential for isolated strong to severe storms.

SPC Outlook

By Sunday afternoon, things turn noticeably cooler behind the front, with highs dropping into the upper 70s to low 80s thanks to clouds and lingering rain.

Sunday forecast