Thunder, lightning kick off Friday in Central Florida

Storms will move out by late morning, but rain returns for afternoon

ORLANDO, Fla. – Friday has been off to a nasty start, with storms moving through Central Florida.

A line of showers and thunderstorms moved in early from the Gulf of Mexico, packing heavy rain and even some lightning. 

Runners at Walt Disney World for the "Star Wars"-themed races were delayed Friday morning due to the storms.

Officials said they were continuing to monitor the impact the weather would have on the Star Wars Rival Run 5K before determining a new start time for the race.

As the storms move east, they will begin to fizzle out, according to News 6 meteorologist Samara Cokinos.

"By mid-morning, we will have peeks of sunshine and the rain will be pretty much out of the area," Cokinos said.

But don't be fooled. There will be more rain Friday afternoon. 

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Temperatures will heat up to the low to mid-80s Friday.

"It will feel like summer and the rain will flare up, a lot like summer storms do," Cokinos said.

Drivers should use caution on the wet roadways, as a majority of the weather activity will happen around I-4 and areas to the east. 

"There will be pockets of heavy rain and even lightning, but nothing severe," Cokinos said.

The majority of the rain will clear out Friday evening, leaving behind cloudy skies. Lows will be mild, in the upper 60s. 

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Rain chances are low to start the weekend, but the heat will be widespread, with highs near 90 degrees.

That doesn't mean a few showers here and there aren't a possibility. 

"The beach will be a great place to beat the heat, with highs in the low to mid-80s," Cokinos said.


About the Author

Emmy Award Winning Meteorologist Samara Cokinos joined the News 6 team in September 2017. In her free time, she loves running and being outside.

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