ORLANDO, Fla. – Spring officially begins late Wednesday afternoon but winter is having its way in its final hours in Central Florida.
"It's chilly, breezy and still soggy," News 6 meteorologist Samara Cokinos said. "It will stay that way through the first half of the day."
Coastal areas are forecast continue to see rain for the majority of the day, while areas inland will eventually see the showers taper off, with the possibility of some sunshine later.
Orlando will see a high of 73. The average high on this date is 79.
[WEATHER: Extended forecast | Radar | Warnings | Pinpoint Weather Zones][DOWNLOAD: Pinpoint, Hurricane apps | SHARE: Weather pictures]
"The north-northeast breeze will gust near 20-25 mph, adding to the chill in the air," Cokinos said.
A small craft advisory is in effect Wednesday. Choppy Intracoastal waters are expected, along with seas from 6 to 8 feet.
However, important changes are on the way for the first day of spring.
Spring arrives at 5:58 p.m., meaning the sun will be directly over the equator, giving Florida about 12 hours of daylight.
Spring arrives today! That means the sun will be directly over the equator giving us about 12 hours of daylight. It will be cloudy so we won't see much of the sun today. Don't worry, it will be sunny and a lot warmer the rest of the week. #news6 pic.twitter.com/uAMR47NvQM
— Samara Cokinos (@CokinosSamaraWx) March 20, 2019
Temperatures will be cool for your evening plans. Expect lows in the 50s overnight after dropping into the low 60s around 8 p.m.
Super Worm Moon forecast
There is a super worm equinox full moon Wednesday night, said News 6 meteorologist Troy Bridges said. The full moon will rise at 9:43 p.m.
"Partly cloudy skies should clear up enough to see the moon more clearly especially for most central areas," Bridges said. "Along the coast there will be a few lingering clouds and possibly a shower or two that could limit viewing of the super worm equinox full moon."
A warmup begins on Thursday. By the weekend, highs will be in the low 80s.
Highs will be in the low 80s for Saturday and Sunday with no rain chances until the middle of next week.