Orlando area to see beautiful beach weather, but dangers loom

Highs to reach mid-80s over weekend in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is in store for a picture-perfect weekend, although there will be some dangerous conditions at area beaches.

Orlando will see a high of 80 Friday, which is the average high on this date.  The record high is 95, set in 1920.

There's no chance of rain through Sunday.

Weekend highs will be in the mid-80s under mostly sunny skies.

[WEATHER: Extended forecast | Radar | Warnings | Pinpoint Weather Zones][DOWNLOAD: Pinpoint, Hurricane apps | SHARE: Weather pictures]

Overnight lows will be in the low 60s.

"There are lots of issues at the beaches, mainly because of the front that moved through a couple days ago," News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said. "We can expect rip currents to be in the high category through the weekend."

[WHAT TO KNOW: Rip currents, warning flags]

Water temperatures will be in the upper 60s.

Waves and surf will be 5 to 7 feet, and there is a small craft advisory in effect until 8 p.m. Friday. 

What to do if caught in a rip current

If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, there are a few steps you should take to escape the pull.

First, do not panic. If you begin to get tired, turn on your back and float for a few seconds to rest your arms and legs.

Next, start swimming parallel to the coastline until you begin to feel the pull relax.

From there, start swimming back to shore at an angle. Many panicked swimmers try swimming straight back to shore. That causes them to swim directly against the current, which increases their risk of drowning due to fatigue.

What do those flags mean?

One of the first things beachgoers should do when arriving at the beach is to look for the colored beach flag, located near lifeguard towers. These flags are posted to identify different tide and surf conditions in that area. This nationwide warning flag system was adopted by the International Lifesaving Federation. 

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No matter the day or the color of the flag, it is always best to swim near a lifeguard and never let your guard down while you’re in the water.

Enjoy the beach season, have fun and stay safe.

Watch News 6 for more weather news.
 


About the Authors:

Daniel started with WKMG-TV in 2000 and became the digital content manager in 2009. When he's not working on ClickOrlando.com, Daniel likes to head to the beach or find a sporting event nearby.

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