ORLANDO, Fla. – A front that acted as a rainmaker in the Orlando area earlier this week is gone and dry air is building behind it, bringing cooler conditions that will last the next couple of days.
Expect a high of only 70 degrees Thursday. The average high in Orlando for March 22 is 79 degrees.
The dry air and high pressure will also prevent rain from returning to the forecast for the remainder of the week.
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"High pressure is sinking air on top of us," News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said. "This means any clouds that try to develop will be sort of squashed out before they make much of an impact."
Temperatures will also be below average in Orlando Friday, with a high of 72 degrees. They will warm up a bit by the weekend, reaching 80 degrees Saturday and 83 degrees Sunday, making it slightly warmer than average.
There has not been rain in the forecast the past 24 hours, and the chance for some showers will increase only slightly toward the beginning of next week, leaving conditions dry and fit for increasing fire dangers.
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"That puts our deficit in Central Florida at 3.95 inches since January," Bridges said.
There is a red flag fire alert in effect for most of Central Florida until 8 p.m. Thursday, which means winds will be around 10 to 15 mph and very little humidity will be in the atmosphere.
"Those conditions means a fire that could develop could spread quickly," Bridges said. "Indoor burning is OK, but outdoor burning is not recommended."