Rare 'Extreme Cold Watch' issued for all Central Florida ahead of dangerous cold this weekend

ORLANDO, Fla. - Central Florida will see a brief break from the cold before an unusually powerful blast of Arctic air brings dangerous wind chills and record-breaking temperatures beginning this weekend, forecasters said.

Forecasters say it could be the coldest stretch since 2010, with multiple hard freezes likely.

Friday's forecast

What To Expect:

Partly cloudy skies are expected tonight, with overnight lows moderating into the mid-40s in the Orlando area.

Temperatures will continue to trend milder early Friday afternoon, with afternoon highs approaching 70 degrees.  Sunshine will dominate through Friday, though thin, high-level clouds are expected to increase late Friday into Saturday.

Weekend outlook

Looking Ahead:

An Extreme Cold Watch has been issued for all of Central Florida this weekend as some of the coldest air in years moves into the area.  The watch will be in effect from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon.

Dangerously cold wind chills as low as 7 degrees will be possible, according to the National Weather Service.  Orlando will see low temperatures below freezing for three of the next five mornings.

Rain, flurries possible

Conditions will change quickly Saturday as a strong cold front moves through the region. A few rain showers are expected during the morning and midday hours, followed by rapidly increasing winds. 

The chances of snow flurries are the same as earlier forecasts, maybe even a tad bit more in the Tampa area as new data is coming in. 

Flurries could fly as soon as Saturday evening, and last through Sunday morning on the Gulf Coast.

Why the tricky forecast?

It is tricky to nail Gulf effect snow like this more than a day in advance because it is so rare. Also, the atmosphere behind an arctic front is generally very dry overall and has limited moisture to produce precipitation. So, you need a moisture source. In this case, that would be the Gulf waters, which are still warm in the 60s. Will there be enough moisture lifted into the cold air to produce flurries? Maybe.

Will any of it stick, even for a little bit?

There is the slightest chance of a dusting somewhere in the Tampa area if these bands even form, and are able to track repeatedly over the same area. We'll see.

Strong wind gusts expected

Forecasters warn that wind gusts of 30 to more than 40 mph are possible Saturday afternoon, evening and into Sunday morning.

Record lows and wind chills possible

Behind the front, much colder air will pour into the area. Real temperatures will drop into the 20s across the entire region. 

Wind chills early Sunday morning are expected to fall into the single digits and teens, marking the coldest apparent temperatures of the event. 

Forecasters say the outbreak is shaping up to be the coldest Central Florida has seen since 2010. In Orlando, standing records for Feb. 1 are the coldest high of 48 degrees and the coldest low of 28 degrees, both set decades ago. Temperatures are expected to easily break those records in 2026, with local weather records dating back to 1893.

The extreme cold will also bring historic wind chills. Orlando International Airport could see one of its six lowest wind chill readings on record. The lowest ever recorded there was 4 degrees during the major cold outbreak of 1985.

FOX 35 Storm Team Alert

A rare and unusual frigid stretch will take shape Sunday and Monday. Some of the coldest air felt in years will move in Saturday night. 

Lows will plunge into the low to mid 20s with wind chills in the teens and maybe even the single digits.

Daytime highs will only reach the mid and upper 40s at best Sunday afternoon. 

Sunday night will feature another round of near-record cold temperatures, falling back down into the low and middle 20s. 

Highs on Monday will be better, but still below normal, climbing into the mid-50s.