ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is gearing up for a wild weather swing, moving from near-record warmth Sunday to a blast of winterlike cold early this week.
Sunday
A stalled front lifting north of the area and strengthening low pressure across the Deep South are combining to bring gusty south to southwesterly winds today, sustained at 15–20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
Gusty southerly winds on Monday afternoon will help pull in a surge of warm, humid air. High temperatures through the day are expected to climb into the mid 80s, with upper 80s possible across inland neighborhoods.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Many locations will come within a degree or two of daily record highs, with a few potentially challenging January monthly records.
If you are planning on enjoying the summerlike weather at the beaches, beware as a high risk of rip currents is in effect and entering the ocean is strongly discouraged despite the warm weather.
Monday
A strong cold front moves through Central Florida on Monday, with rain chances hovering at 20-40% through early morning and decreasing from north to south through the day.
Cooler and drier air follows quickly, with highs staying in the upper 60s to low 70s across much of the area.
Early Week
The most significant change arrives Monday night. Dew points plummet into the teens, skies clear, and breezy northwest winds usher the bulk of the colder air.
Overnight lows drop into the 30s across most inland areas, with wind chills falling below 30 degrees. Cold Weather Advisories will be likely through early Tuesday.
Late Week
High pressure builds in behind the front, locking Central Florida into a dry but unusually cold pattern through at least Saturday.
Highs remain in the 50s to mid 60s, which is about 10-15 degrees below normal. Overnight lows also will stay on the chilly side in the 30s and 40s.
Periodic freezing temperatures and sub-30 wind chills will remain possible in colder inland locations, keeping cold weather headlines in play for much of the week.
[6 THINGS TO DO: Jan. 24 & 25]