East Central Florida - Friday January 5, 2025: A cold front passing through the area on Saturday is threatening to bring some severe weather to East-Central Florida this weekend.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Melbourne reports that a very active subtropical jet stream will continue sending a series of cold fronts toward Florida over the next week. The strongest fronts are forecast to arrive on Saturday and then again Tuesday.
NWS expects the main threats will be lightning strikes and gusty winds, but small hail and a few tornadoes are possible across the region.
While gusty winds from 25 to 35 mph are expected preceding the fronts, there will be the potential for locally strong storms and heavy rain with the fronts as they pass through. There is at least a low threat for a few severe storms on Saturday and Tuesday. Additional threats include frequent lightning strikes, locally strong wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph. One or two of those gusts may reach 60 mph, and there could be some small hail as well. A brief tornado cannot be ruled out Saturday morning and afternoon across east central Florida, with an isolated tornado threat again on Tuesday.