Florida severe weather threat: Timeline, forecast, live weather maps
Sunday is a FOX 35 Storm Alert Day due to the potential for severe weather, strong thunderstorms and tornadoes.
Timeline: The latest forecasts show that the severe weather will arrive in the afternoon and evening hours on Sunday for Central Florida.
Main weather threats: Damaging winds, the risk of a few tornadoes and hail.
Stay alert: Download the FOX Local app for the latest weather forecast and severe weather alerts.
ORLANDO, Fla. - There is the potential for severe weather across the southeastern parts of the United States over the next several days, including Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. On Sunday, that severe weather threat will extend into both north and Central Florida.
FOX 35 has declared Sunday, March 16, a Storm Alert Day due to the potential for strong or severe thunderstorms, torrential rain and gusty winds.
Here's what to know about the Sunday forecast, severe weather threat and timeline.
What To Expect
Hotter conditions are expected in Central Florida ahead of the cold front moving in.
The heat and mugginess will allow the storm energy to build on Sunday afternoon.
The unstable air, as well as the dynamics in the atmosphere, will make for a severe weather threat from Sunday afternoon into the evening.
This is why the FOX 35 Storm Team has made it a FOX 35 Storm Alert Day.
A tornado or two, as well as gusty wind and large hail, are possible with the storms that ignite.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop early in the day on Sunday and continue to work to the southeast through the afternoon.
Storms arrive in our FOX 51 locales by early afternoon and into the Orlando Metro by late afternoon.
The cold front pushes east of Central Florida by the overnight, with much cooler conditions on tap to start next week.
Timeline
The timeline for the severe weather threat will be late Sunday afternoon and evening, potentially lingering into the early parts of Monday morning.
Gainesville: Early afternoon
Orlando: Late afternoon
Kissimmee: Evening
Currently, the storms are expected to not impact the Monday morning rush hour. However, the forecast will firm this up in the next few day or two.
Why you should care
In Central Florida, the main weather threats from strong or severe storms would be damaging winds, the risk of a few tornadoes, flash flooding and hail.
FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Brooks Garner said as the system moves into Central Florida, the tornado threat will move with it.
The graphics below show a general timeline of when the biggest tornado threat will reach each region in the state.
"Winds will veer with altitude, from southerly at the ground level to westerly at jet stream level, producing a rotation in the column of air from ground to 30,000 feet," Garner said. "This means any thunderstorms entering the region of orange could spin. This means a few tornadoes are possible."
Garner noted that these would likely not be the large tornadoes often seen in the middle of the country.
However, any tornado can be damaging and threaten life, property and homes.
Dig deeper
Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that typically extend from a thunderstorm to the ground.
They can form anywhere, anytime and can reach wind speeds of up to 200 mph, enough to damage houses and buildings, flip cars and turn everyday debris into deadly missiles.
Tornado watch: A tornado watch is issued when severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are POSSIBLE in and near the watch area. This does not mean that a tornado will occur. It just means it's possible, per the National Weather Service.
Tornado warning: A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is IMMINENT. If a tornado warning is issued, seek safe shelter immediately.
What you can do
If a tornado warning is issued, seek shelter right away.
Find the most-interior room in your house or building, such as a closet, bathroom or another room.
Stay away from windows and doors. If you are outside, get inside right away.
Stay informed: Watch FOX 35 on TV or in the FOX Local app (available on cell phones and streaming apps) for the latest weather forecast, weather alerts and severe weather alerts. Visit FOX35Orlando.com for the latest weather forecast and to view live radar.
Turn on notifications: Keep emergency notifications and FOX 35 alerts on and active.
Track live when storms move across your area using the FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar below. You can also watch as heavy rain moves across Central Florida on our Live Weather Cameras' page here.
Brevard County
Flagler County
Lake County
Marion County
Osceola County
Orange County
Polk County
Seminole County
Sumter County
Volusia County
U.S./National Radar
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The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the FOX 35 Storm Team.
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