ORLANDO, Fla. – Keep the umbrella nearby — there’s a weather alert day in effect for Central Florida as moderate to heavy rain, along with pockets of thunderstorms, moves through the area Sunday.
Most of the region is under a marginal risk for severe weather.
That means the risk is on the lower end, but conditions are set up for locally-intense storms separating the calm stretches.
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The main concern is heavy rain, with some locations expected to pick up between 1 to 3 inches in a relatively short amount of time. There’s potential for a few spots to see even higher amounts. These rains could cause ponding on streets or minor flooding in low-lying areas, especially with any persistent downpours.
Wind gusts between 40 to 60 mph could also accompany the stronger thunderstorms, and while the chance of tornadoes or hail isn’t zero, those threats remain on the lower end today. The heaviest rain is expected this afternoon and evening, with the risk of rough weather lasting into the overnight hours.
Timing:
If you’re heading out early in the day, a few showers are possible through the morning with rain chances climbing rapidly after noon. By late afternoon and into the evening, heavy rain bands are expected to sweep through, mainly targeting areas like Marion and Sumter counties around 3 to 4 p.m. before pushing toward the Orlando metro area and outlying cities such as Sanford, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, and Ocala.
Tonight, periods of heavy rain are likely to continue, and it’s looking wet for the Monday morning commute. Rainfall tapers off by Monday afternoon with clouds lingering, but isolated showers remain possible as conditions start to settle down.
Daytime highs today will hover in the upper 70s across most of Central Florida.
Cooler, drier air on the horizon
Once the storms roll out, cooler and drier air is set to take over for the rest of the week.
Stay safe and share your weather photos with News 6. If you capture dramatic rain or storm photos this weekend, don’t forget to PinIt! and share with the team at ClickOrlando.com/pins/.
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