Tornado Watch Covers Central Florida Until 6:00 P.M.

All of Central Florida was under a tornado watch late Saturday morning, with the warning set to expire at 6:00 P.M. The greatest risk of strong to severe storms was expected early Saturday afternoon and into the evening as a cold front pushed into the state.

Central Florida Storm Timeline

The line of storms was expected to start moving into northern areas between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., with Marion County, northern Volusia County, and Flagler County included first. The storm line was then expected to shift toward the I-4 corridor between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., with the heaviest coverage near and north of the corridor, including the Orlando metro.

By 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., heavier activity was expected farther south, including Osceola and Brevard counties. The bulk of the heavier storms was expected to move offshore by around 10 p.m., leaving Sunday cooler behind the front with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s and a breezy north to northeast wind.

Wind Advisory And Fire Danger

The primary threat from the stronger storms was damaging wind gusts, with a 5–15% chance of severe winds capable of downing trees or power lines. A brief tornado or some hail could not be ruled out, though both risks were described as low.

A wind advisory was also in effect from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with gusts of 30 to 35 mph expected, especially north of Orlando. Parts of Central Florida, especially south of Orlando, were under a Red Flag Warning this afternoon, and officials strongly discouraged any outdoor burning.

Afternoon highs were expected to climb into the low to mid 90s before storms arrived, adding to the strain on outdoor plans during the day. For readers in the watch area, the practical step is to stay alert through the afternoon and evening window when storms are expected to move from north to south across the region.