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Orlando AM Weather Forecast: Rainy weather continues
Rain chances remain high for Central Florida for the rest of the week and through the weekend. FOX 35 Storm Team meteorologist Brooks Garner takes a look at the forecast.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Central Florida remains stuck in a tropical air mass with a stalled frontal boundary nearby, tapping tropical juice from the hurricane. Expect another mostly cloudy, soggy Thursday with widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms throughout the day.
How much rain will we get?:
Rain chances are near 90%, with another 2 to 4" possible in some areas, particularly where repeated downpours develop. The heaviest storms may favor areas south of Orlando this afternoon and evening.
Localized flooding remains a concern, especially where several inches of rain have already fallen.
Temperatures will generally stay in the lower 80s, with some upper 80s farther south where sunshine breaks through.
Rain continues Friday and Saturday
Friday should offer more breaks between showers as our stalled front begins lifting northward, partly influenced by Hurricane Isaias moving through the Gulf.
Rain chances remain elevated at 60 to 80%, although Friday may bring a few more opportunities for sunshine.
Saturday turns stormier again as deep tropical moisture returns. Widespread afternoon and evening thunderstorms are expected, with another 1 to 3" of rain possible. A few stronger storms could produce wind gusts around 45 mph.
It will also become breezy Saturday, with southerly wind gusts of 20 to 25 mph outside thunderstorms.
Improving weather Sunday and into next week
Sunday will still feature scattered showers and storms, but increasing breaks in the clouds should allow temperatures to climb into the upper 80s and lower 90s.
A weak front moves through Monday, followed by noticeably drier air Tuesday and Wednesday.
Rain chances drop to 0% or less by midweek, humidity levels fall, and overnight temperatures could return to the 60s.
After this prolonged stretch of tropical humidity and rain, some much more comfortable weather is finally on the horizon.
Tracking the tropics: Hurricane Isaias
Isaias strengthened into a hurricane overnight and was declared a hurricane at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
This makes it the latest hurricane on record to form in the Atlantic season, since weather satellites have monitored the entire ocean in the mid-1960s.
The hurricane will continue to intensify over the Gulf. As of the 5 a.m. advisory, maximum sustained winds are 80 mph.
Hurricane Hunter aircraft continue finding an increasingly organized circulation despite moderate westerly wind shear around 20 knots.
Very warm Gulf waters near 86°F and ample moisture are helping the hurricane strengthen.
The NHC now forecasts Isaias to reach 110 mph Friday morning, just below Category 3 intensity, before stronger wind shear of 40 to 50 knots begins weakening the storm as it approaches landfall.
However, weakening winds near the center will not eliminate the danger. The hurricane's wind field may expand significantly, spreading damaging winds over a larger area and ushering in a large swatch of storm surge.
Landfall late Friday:
The latest NHC forecast continues to bring Isaias into the northern Gulf Coast late Friday night or early Saturday, with the greatest hurricane wind threat across southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.
Watches and warnings:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Ocean Springs, MS, to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida.
A Storm Surge Warning extends from the mouth of the Mississippi River eastward to Steinhatchee, FL.
Life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds and flooding rainfall are expected near and east of the landfall area.
The eastern side of Isaias will also need to be monitored closely for tropical tornadoes, particularly Friday night into Saturday.
Inland impacts this weekend:
After landfall, Isaias will interact with an approaching upper-level trough and transition into a powerful post-tropical system.
Heavy rain, gusty winds and a risk of isolated tornadoes could spread inland across portions of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and surrounding southeastern states.
The remnant circulation may slow and become incorporated into a strong upper-level low over the Tennessee Valley.
For Central Florida, the greatest direct hurricane impacts remain well to our northwest.
Our primary weather concern continues to be repeated heavy rainfall and thunderstorms through Saturday, followed by improving conditions early next week.
The Source: The information in this story was provided by the FOX 35 Storm Team.