ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is heading into a stretch of near-record, heat through midweek before storms arrive with a cold front late in the week and a cooler pattern develops heading into spring break.
Tuesday & Wednesday
Hot temperatures will continue across Central Florida through midweek as high pressure remains in control of the weather pattern.
Afternoon highs will climb into the upper 80s and lower 90s west of I95. Some locations could challenge record highs, including Leesburg. Coastal communities will stay slightly cooler, with highs mainly in the mid 80s, thanks to the afternoon sea breeze.
Most areas will stay dry, though a few isolated showers could develop late Tuesday afternoon and evening as the east and west coast sea breezes collide. The best chance for a brief shower will be along Interstate 4, with coverage at 10-20%.
Thursday cold front
A change begins late in the week as a cold front approaches from the north.
Temperatures will still reach the upper 80s on Thursday afternoon, but clouds will begin to increase, and rain chances will rise from north to south through the afternoon and evening.
A 50-60% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible Thursday night as the front moves across Central Florida. A few storms could produce gusty winds, small hail, and heavy downpours.
Spring break outlook
The weather pattern turns more unsettled heading into the weekend, and the much-anticipatednear-record spring break week for many Central Florida families.
Moisture returning to the area will keep rain chances (20-30%) elevated Friday and Saturday, with scattered showers and storms possible at times.
Rain coverage could increase even more Sunday into Monday (40-50%), as deeper moisture moves into Florida ahead of another approaching front.
With more clouds and showers around, temperatures will trend closer to normal with highs mainly in the upper 70s to lower 80s.
While there should still be opportunities for outdoor plans, families may want to keep an eye on passing showers during parts of the break.
Another cold front could move through Monday night, bringing drier and cooler air by Tuesday.