Dry and windy conditions raise fire worries in Central Florida; the chilliest night is yet to come

ORLANDO, Fla. – Looks like we’re in for a bit of a mixed bag of weather over the next few days. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:

Thursday: Windy and dry

In the wake of a strong cold front, much of the area will be experiencing windy conditions with winds from the west-northwest at 10-20 mph and gusting up to 30 mph.

With plenty of sunshine, temperatures will rise into the upper 60s to low 70s, making it a perfect day for outdoor activities. However, the dry conditions and strong winds will create an elevated risk for fire growth, which is why a Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday.

Thursday night: Chilly night ahead

With the dry air still in place Thursday night, temperatures will dip into the 40s across most areas. Some neighborhoods north and west of I-4 could even see temperatures in the upper 30s. Wind chills will stay pretty close to the actual temperature as the winds are forecast to subside.

Friday–Saturday: Warming up

High pressure will continue to dominate, bringing sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Friday will be a bit chilly to start, with morning temps in the 50s, but things will warm up into the mid to upper 70s by the afternoon. Saturday will be even warmer, with highs reaching the upper 70s to low 80s.

Sunday–Monday: A chance for rain

As we head into the weekend, things will change a bit. A new cold front will start to move in on Sunday, bringing thicker clouds and a chance for rain from northwest to southeast.

The exact timing is still up in the air — models are showing some differences in how fast the system will move but right now, we’re looking at rain chances between 40-60% through Sunday and Monday. While we can’t rule out a few thunderstorms with this activity, the threat for strong storms looks unlikely.

Sunday will be pretty warm, with highs near 80 south of Orlando, while Monday cools down into the 70s across the area.

Mid-to-late next week: Quiet and warming up

Looking ahead to next week, it seems like we’ll have a relatively steady forecast. After a cool Tuesday with lows in the 40s and 50s and highs in the mid-70s, temperatures are expected to climb above normal once again.

Stay tuned, and enjoy this comfortable weather while we still can!