Orlando weather: Cold snap to bring frigid temperatures to Central Florida

Orlando weather: Central Florida braces for wintry weather

A cold front is expected to arrive in Central Florida this week, bringing near-freezing temperatures to the area. FOX 35 Storm Team meteorologist Brooks Garner takes a look at the forecast. 

ORLANDO, Fla. - Scattered showers will linger into late morning with mostly dry condition prevailing around noon - early afternoon. 

These showers are associated with a cold front that will move through by midday. As a result gradual clearing will take place as colder and drier air rushes in behind the front. Winds will be picking up as well, turning quite gusty at times. Peak gusts will reach speeds of 25-30 mph. 

Temperatures won't budge very much today, as highs struggle to reach even the low 60s. Most spots will see afternoon highs peak around the mid to upper 50s. For perspective, our average high in Orlando is 71°. Once the rain ends, clouds will stick around a bit before eventually giving way to some sunshine just ahead of sunset.

Frigid and blustery conditions settle in tonight.

A Freeze Warning is in place for nearly all of Central Florida from 1 a.m - 9 a.m. This accounts for temperatures that will fall at or below freezing for many areas, especially northwest of I-4. This is where temperatures will likely fall into the 20s for morning lows. While winds won't be quite as gusty overnight and into tomorrow morning, peak gusts will still see peak speeds of around 15-20 mph. This brisk northerly breeze will cause wind chills to fall into the 20s as well.

FOX 35 Storm Team Alert

We're gearing up for some of the coldest air we've felt in just over three years tomorrow morning. Temperatures will be their coldest between 3 a.m.-8 a.m., falling into the mid to upper 20s northwest of I-4, to around 30-32° in Orange, Seminole, and western Volusia counties, and closer to the mid 30s in Brevard and southern Volusia counties. 

A Freeze Warning is in place for all of Central Florida (with the exception of coastal Brevard County) from 1am-9am. Even though winds won't be quite as strong, northerly gusts at around 15-20 mph will cause frigid wind chills in the 20s. We'll see plenty of sunshine for the rest of the day, it just won't do much to help warm things up. Plan for highs to only climb into the 50s across the region.

Another cold front moving in

For Saturday, temperatures will begin on another cold note as lows fall into the 30s and 40s. However, Saturday afternoon will see some steady improvements as highs near the 70-degree mark under partly to mostly sunny skies. Don't get too used to it though. 

Another front swings in Sunday, bringing scattered showers and another wave of unusually cold temperatures to the area. Monday morning will feature temperatures around the low to middle 30s, with some spots falling back to near or below freezing. 

Afternoon highs will once again struggle as well, only reaching the middle to upper 50s. 

This same system may bring a low chance of a few snowflakes to the panhandle. Accumulations are unlikely with the current data, but we'll be monitoring trends this weekend. 

By the middle of next week, high temperatures will finally be closer to the upper 60s and low 70s.