ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s all about the heat and the rain for the Friday before the new year.
South winds are up to 20 mph in many areas, with gusts of 25 mph. These south winds are leading to very warm temperatures across Central Florida.
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Friday’s average high temperature is 71 degrees. Central Florida will be running nearly 10 degrees above average for the next few days.
Expect highs near 80 degrees through New Year’s Day.
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Rain chances associated with a big storm system moving into the southeastern U.S will be increasing through the afternoon.
Expect a 50 percent chance of on-and-off rain Friday. Rain chances will taper off a little through the evening. There is no risk of severe weather.
The front associated with this system will not move through Central Florida, however, it will be close enough to act as a focal point for on-and-off rain.
This system has brought snow and ice to the Great Lakes region and flooding rain to parts of Alabama and Georgia.
Some rain will stick around into early Saturday before drying out. Most of Saturday and all of Sunday will be dry and warm as temperatures approach the low to mid-80s.
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After Saturday’s early-morning rain, Central Florida will stay dry and mild through New Year’s Day.
No need for a heavy jacket on New Year's Eve, overnight lows will be in the mid-60s.
Cooler temperatures return by the end of next week, with lows in the 50s and high temperatures in the mid-70s.