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Orlando Weather: Major cold front coming to central Florida
Freezing temperatures will impact central Florida on Friday morning this week, how low the wind chills may go and more.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A strong cold front is expected to arrive in Central Florida late Wednesday into Thursday, bringing a sharp change in weather conditions.
Temperatures will begin to fall early Thursday behind the front and continue to drop through Friday.
Does this cold front bring any rain?
The front will also bring rain, with the highest chances from Wednesday night into early Thursday before skies clear by Thursday afternoon.
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Some storms could produce brief heavy rain and isolated thunder as the front moves through the region.
How cold will it get — and where?
Cold air will surge into Central Florida on Thursday as winds shift to the north, making for blustery conditions and steadily falling temperatures throughout the day and into Thursday night.
Highs Thursday are expected to remain in the 50s and 60s, with wind chills mainly in the 40s and 50s. The coldest conditions will develop late Thursday night into early Friday.
Low temperatures near Orlando are forecast to approach the freezing mark, while areas north of the city could fall to or below freezing. Farther northwest, including Marion and Lake counties, temperatures may drop into the upper 20s, raising the potential for a hard freeze.
Residents in communities north and west of Orlando that experience freezing temperatures may need to protect sensitive plants and take precautions to prevent frozen pipes.
Wind chills early Friday will feel even colder, with much of the region experiencing "feels-like" temperatures in the 20s. Around Orlando, wind chills are expected in the mid to upper 20s, while northwestern areas could see wind chills in the lower 20s.
Freeze-related alerts are likely, including Freeze Watches for areas northwest of Orlando. Coastal communities are expected to be slightly milder due to the influence of nearby water, but temperatures there will still be cold, generally in the mid to upper 30s.
Friday morning temperatures will run nearly 20 degrees below average, with daytime highs about 15 degrees below normal.
When will the warm temperatures return?
A brief warm-up is expected Saturday, though it may not last long as another cold front approaches.
Highs Saturday are forecast to rebound into the mid to upper 60s ahead of the next front, which is expected to arrive late Saturday into Sunday. Even with the warmer readings, temperatures will remain about 5 degrees below average for mid-January.
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The weekend will begin on a cold note, with lows Saturday morning in the 30s and 40s. Behind the next front, temperatures could once again fall well below average.
Early forecasts suggest highs on Monday may only reach the 50s, with lows dropping into the lower to mid-30s by early Tuesday morning.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the National Weather Service and the FOX 35 Storm Team.