Central Florida to get cool temps tonight but wind chills in the 30s on tap for weekend

Richard Tribou, Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read
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Central Florida is facing chilly weather ahead of New Year’s celebrations, with a cold front forecast to hit the area and drop temperatures into the 30s and 40s for the region over the weekend.

As the weather began to shift Thursday, it brought along about half an inch of rainfall across much of the region, according to forecasters for the National Weather Service. That should be it for the rain, as overnight lows into Friday were projected to drop into the upper 50s and lower 60s amid dry conditions. The forecast was good news for a pair of rocket launches scheduled for Thursday night from the Space Coast by SpaceX.

But then cooler air from the Midwest will begin to snake south and into the Florida peninsula on Friday, bringing even lower temps through Monday. Gusts of up to 20 mph will pass through Friday night as a surface high pressure system parks over the state.

Highs will hit the 60s over the weekend, but overnight lows could drop into the mid 30s for northern Central Florida, and the wind will make those temperatures feel a few degrees colder.

“So, with no mentionable rain in the forecast, chilly temperatures will be the big story,” NWS forecasters said. “Nighttime temperatures will have us grabbing our jackets, for sure.”

The expected low temps come just as many area residents are turning their attention to New Year’s celebrations. And alas, many of those are being held outdoors, including block parties in Thornton Park and Wall Street Plaza near downtown Orlando. If those events are in your plans, bundle up.

The chilly weather is expected to persist into next week, forecasters say.

“The coolest locales will be north of Orlando and rural Osceola and Okeechobee Counties, with the coldest readings forecast on Sunday and Monday mornings when the surface high resides overhead allowing for better radiational cooling,” the weather service said. “Wind chill readings are projected to fall to the low 30s north of Orlando on Sunday morning, with upper 30s to low 40s elsewhere.”

The NWS said patchy frost could even be possible for areas such as northern Lake and Volusia counties.

“It may be time to start thinking about protecting especially sensitive tropical and annual plants in these locales,” forecasters said.

Happy Chilly New Year, Central Florida!