ORLANDO, Fla. – A brief warmup is ahead in Central Florida before a sharp pattern change this weekend brings record cold, dangerous wind chills and even a low chance of flurries west of Orlando.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY
A strong high will keep our weather mostly dry with a slow warming trend. Thursday stays sunny, with highs in the mid- to upper 60s.
[FLORIDA FREEZE GUIDE: Everything you need to know]
By Friday, temperatures finally feel closer to normal, with highs near 70.
[SNOW IN ORLANDO AREA? Slim chance but possible]
SATURDAY
Late Friday night into Saturday, a developing low sweeps through Florida before rapidly strengthening offshore into a powerful Nor’easter.
As the front is overhead, rain chances remain low through the morning (20-30%). Once the front clears, west to northwest winds will increase rapidly, with gusts of 35 to 45 mph possible Saturday afternoon and evening.
There is also a low probability of flurries across far western parts of Central Florida, mainly Sumter and Polk counties, late Saturday into early Sunday. Gulf Effect moisture could briefly move onshore and produce a short-lived burst of flurries or a light wintry mix. Any impacts would be minimal, but it would be a rare sight for the area.
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SUNDAY
Sunday morning is shaping up to be the coldest morning that Central Florida has seen in decades. There is now a high chance of a hard freeze for most of the area.
Wind chills are expected to drop into the teens nearly area-wide, with single-digit wind chills possible north of Orlando.
High temperatures Sunday will struggle, staying in the 40s north of Orlando and only reaching the lower 50s to the south, despite sunshine.
MONDAY
The cold does not stop there as another hard freeze is expected Monday morning. Winds will be lighter, but temperatures will still be dangerously cold, keeping wind chills in the upper teens to mid-20s.