ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida is in for another hot and steamy day, but you’ll also want to keep the umbrella handy.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to become more widespread Friday afternoon, with rain chances increasing to 60% across the region.
While not everyone will see rain all day, storms will be more numerous than they have been in recent days and could bring heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and gusty winds.
Even with the increased cloud cover and rain, temperatures will still climb into the low to mid-90s.
Combined with the high humidity, it will feel even hotter, with heat index values ranging from 98 to 105 degrees during the afternoon.
The hot and muggy pattern will continue into the weekend.
Forecast confidence for rain chances this weekend will depend on a developing weather system in the northeastern Gulf.
An area of low pressure is expected to form over the weekend, and its exact track will play a key role in how much rain Central Florida sees.

If the developing low forms closer to Florida’s west coast, rain and storm coverage across Central Florida would likely increase.
If it stays farther away, rain chances would be lower, with more typical summertime scattered storms.
The forecast will continue to be refined as the system develops, so check back for updates through the weekend.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group









