Orlando residents should buckle up for a weather roller coaster this week, as Melbourne's latest area forecast discussion forecasts a significant shift in conditions. According to the National Weather Service, this weekend will be warmer and breezy, but a cold front on Sunday is expected to bring rain and possible storms.
The Service has indicated a marginal (5%) risk for strong, gusty winds on Sunday, so keep your potted plants and patio furniture in mind. With the dynamic climate we’ve experienced, it's hardly a surprise that Florida will feel the sting of an Arctic outbreak piercing through the U.S. The worst cold is predicted for Monday and Wednesday, when wind chills may dip as low as the upper 20s to low 30s northwest of Orlando, making for a potentially uncomfortable start to the workweek.
Looking toward Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather is expected to take a turn as a winter storm rolls through the southern U.S., bringing more rain and tough conditions for beachgoers and boaters in East Central Florida. This prediction emphasizes increasing confidence in the potential impact, so residents should remain vigilant and prepared for the onset of these harsher conditions.
Marine conditions will also be rough for Orlando's coastal community, beginning with a warm front today setting the stage for brisk SSW winds, necessitating a Small Craft Advisory. The disturbance behind Tuesday's front could thrust stronger winds upon our waters, leading to strong, near-gale-force, northerly winds. For anyone passionate about the open sea, it would be wise to dock your vessels and heed the advice from marine forecasts. The mid-week forecast suggests a buildup of seas ranging from "3-5 FT nearshore up to 4-7 FT offshore and in the Gulf Stream," per the warning from the National Weather Service.
As planes take off and land across Orlando's skies, airport weather stations anticipate "IFR/LIFR stratus" as the warm front proceeds northward, which may cause some visibility issues through midmorning. However, conditions should shift to VFR once the early mist clears and winds intensify out of the southwest. Pilots should be alert for rapid weather changes, as the cold front's approach may result in a brief resurgence of MVFR/IFR conditions.
Daytona Beach residents, meanwhile, are advised to don their jackets. Temperatures are set to plummet to the upper 30s, while Orlando may witness just sub-fifty degrees come Monday morning. It's not typical Florida weather, but these drops reflect the winter's persistent grip, no matter how far south one resides.
