Orlando starts Wednesday, September 23, with mostly clear skies and temperatures in the upper 70s, but the calm morning is on borrowed time. The city is headed for a hot, humid afternoon near 89 degrees before showers and thunderstorms become likely after noon.
Afternoon Storms Could Bring Heavy Rain
The National Weather Service in Melbourne puts the chance of rain around 60% Wednesday, with the greatest risk from early afternoon into the late afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. The heat index could reach 98 to 102 degrees before storms move in, making the pre-rain stretch feel more like the middle of summer than the first full day of fall.
Storms may bring frequent lightning, brief heavy downpours and wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph in stronger cells. Most spots could receive around a tenth to a quarter-inch of rain, but slow-moving storms may drop 1 to 3 inches locally and create minor flooding on poorly drained roads.
Drivers should be ready for sudden visibility drops and water pooling during the afternoon commute, while anyone outdoors should head inside at the first sound of thunder. Wednesday night brings a chance of additional showers and storms before 10 p.m., followed by partly cloudy skies and a low near 74.
A Breezy, Drier Turn Starts Thursday
Thursday brings another round of afternoon showers and thunderstorms as a front pushes through, with a high near 88 and north winds reaching 20 mph, plus gusts up to 30 mph. The shift is a notable change from the storm-focused setup covered in Hoodline's earlier forecast, with cooler air and lower rain chances arriving behind the front.
By Friday, Orlando should see mostly sunny skies and a high near 84, with north winds of 10 to 15 mph and occasional gusts near 25 mph. Friday night could dip to about 67 degrees, offering the city's first real taste of fall-like air in months.
Weekend Plans Get A Weather Break
Saturday and Sunday look sunny and mostly dry, with highs near 84 and 85 degrees and overnight lows in the mid-60s. Humidity should ease noticeably through the weekend, making outdoor plans more comfortable even though summer-level warmth will still return during the afternoons.
