ORLANDO, Fla. — The cold front that pushed through Central Florida on Saturday left Orlando with a blustery, noticeably cooler Sunday, and the drier air is expected to stick around for the work week.
Low pressure taking shape northeast of the state along the front is tightening the wind. Forecasters expect steady winds of 20 to 25 mph from the north-northeast Sunday, with gusts reaching 30 to 40 mph in the afternoon. The strongest gusts should come along the coast, where a few isolated gusts near 50 mph are possible right on the beaches.
Temperatures that began the day in the 60s were only expected to recover into the mid to upper 70s. That is a sharp change from Friday, when the area ran hot and humid with readings well above normal for mid-October.
The bigger concern is at the shore. A gale warning that took effect Saturday morning runs into Sunday evening for the Atlantic waters, alongside a small craft advisory, a wind advisory for the coastline and a high surf advisory. Breakers at the beach may run 5 to 10 feet, offshore seas could build to 9 to 14 feet, and the rip current risk is high into Monday. That includes Daytona Beach, where Biketober Fest is underway. The pounding waves could also chew away at beaches and dunes, and local officials want people to keep out of the ocean until conditions settle.
A stray sprinkle could blow in off the ocean near the coast Sunday, but no rain is in the forecast after that. Mornings next week should open in the low to mid 60s, with sunshine, low humidity and afternoon highs in the low 80s. The breeze will not fully let up, with east-northeast winds of 15 to 30 mph each day keeping the beaches rough. The tropics are also quiet, with no activity expected over the next seven days.
Filed under: Orlando FL Weather News