ORLANDO, Fla. – Temperatures are going to feel more like a 4th of July firecracker as we head into the holiday weekend, with highs climbing into the mid-90s across Central Florida.
Combine the heat with the seasonably high humidity, and peak heat indices should reach 102-109 degrees.
Although the latest numbers keep us below Heat Advisory criteria, moderate to high heat-risk will continue.
From the beach to theme parks, backyard BBQs or a big holiday celebration, be sure to keep hydration top of mind along with frequent breaks in the shade or the AC.
Besides the heat, Central Floridians will have to keep an eye to the sky as sea breeze storms develop through the afternoon. An upper-level high will continue to dominate the forecast, allowing the east coast sea breeze to push inland quickly through the day.
This setup keeps rain chances at 20-30% for coastal communities and 50-60% for neighborhoods from I-4 to the west.
Most storms should taper off or push out of the area by 9 p.m. Thursday, keeping skies clear for fireworks across Central Florida.
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The same large ridge of high pressure is also keeping Florida free of any tropical trouble this week as Hurricane Beryl continues its westerly track toward Jamaica on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday morning, Beryl maintains Category 4 strength, with sustained winds of 145 mph. A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, with a Hurricane Watch issued for south Haiti and the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Another area east of the Windward Islands (Invest 96L) remains disorganized as has been interacting with Saharan dust and strong sheer. The National Hurricane Center keeps a low 20% chance for further tropical development in the next seven days.