Central Florida is turning more summerlike Friday, with a big warmup beginning in the afternoon as highs climb into the low to mid-80s and skies stay partly cloudy. A light south breeze could help trigger a few isolated showers along the sea breeze, but coverage is expected to stay limited at 20% to 30%.
The change matters because the warmup does not stop there. Highs are expected to reach the mid to upper 80s Saturday and Sunday as winds turn more south to southwest and the sea breeze slows down, a setup that should push the chance for afternoon storms a little farther east each day. Rain chances rise to 30% to 40% this weekend, with scattered showers and storms possible especially in the afternoon and evening.
For Central Florida, that is the start of a stretch that looks more like early summer than late spring. By early next week, temperatures are expected to stay above average in the mid to upper 80s on Monday and Tuesday, while the pattern remains warm and mostly quiet.
Candace Campos, who joined the News 6 weather team in 2015, has been tracking the shift toward rising temperatures, shifting winds and a slowing sea breeze. Those same ingredients are expected to keep the region unsettled enough for a few storms this weekend, then allow inland areas to heat up further late next week, when highs could climb into the low to mid 90s.
That is the real answer in the Orlando weather picture: the weekend brings a modest storm chance, but the bigger story is the steady climb in heat, with the hottest readings expected inland by late week.