Watching the winds as brush fires are developing across Central Florida. 2.23.26
FIBERS. CHECK OUT YOUR FORECAST AT CHIEF METEOROLOGIST TONY MAINOLFI. THIS COLD SNAP COMING AT THE WRONG TIME FOR THESE FIRES. TONY. OH MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ALL THE DRY WEATHER, YOU KNOW, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT FREEZE DRIED OUT, THAT GRASS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE USE THE RADAR, WE, WE USE WHAT WE CALL THE CORRELATION COEFFICIENT FOR DEBRIS WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TORNADOES. BUT YOU CAN ALSO USE IT FOR SMOKE PLUMES. AND WE’RE GOING TO DO THAT HERE RIGHT NOW. CAM IS ACTUALLY ADJUSTED THE RADAR FOR US HERE FOR ME TO SHOW YOU THAT THAT PLUME, THE MULTIPLE COLORS RIGHT THERE THAT ARE PICKING UP THE THE SMOKE AGAIN, THE FIRES UP HERE, THE WINDS ARE OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AND THEY’VE BEEN GUSTING 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR. SO WHEN THE REFLECTIVITY PRODUCT DOESN’T WORK, SOMETIMES WE USE THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCT TO KIND OF MAKE THINGS WORK. AND I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE WINDS RIGHT NOW ACROSS VOLUSIA COUNTY. CAM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR ADDING THAT IN THERE FOR ME. LOOK, FROM LEON SPRINGS TO SAM SULA BACK TOWARDS EDGEWATER, PORT ORANGE. WE’VE GOT GUSTS RIGHT NOW. STILL IN THAT 20 TO 25 MILE AN HOUR RANGE. SO THAT’S WHY THIS FIRE HAS GROWN TO 100 ACRES. CONTAINMENT IS ONLY A QUARTER OF A 25% CONTAINED THERE. THE OF THE 100 ACRES. SO WE’VE GOT TO WATCH THIS ONE VERY, VERY CAREFULLY. GOING BACK TO THE REFLECTIVITY. IT’S NOT SHOWING UP NOW. SO THAT’S AT LEAST SOME GOOD NEWS. BUT THE CHECKLIST WE’VE CHECKED OFF EVERYTHING THAT CREATES THESE TYPES OF CONDITIONS. THE DROUGHT WE HAVE THE STRONG FRONT COME THROUGH LATE LAST NIGHT THIS MORNING WITH THE GUSTY WINDS THAT ARE STILL LINGERING. WE’VE HAD VERY DRY AIR IN PLACE SINCE LATE LAST NIGHT, AND WE’VE HAD A COUPLE OF FREEZES, AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE TONIGHT AND ANOTHER ONE WEDNESDAY MORNING. NORTH AND WEST OF FLAGLER COUNTY. NOW THIS IS A REALLY NEAT PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE THAT THANKFULLY WE DON’T HAVE TO USE THAT MUCH. BUT WHEN WE DO USE IT, IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THERE FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WINDS ARE GOING TO BE BLOWING OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. SO THERE’S NORTHWEST. OKAY. THEN NOTICE HOW THINGS BEGIN TO CHANGE. AND THEY TURN AROUND AS THE SOUTHEAST WIND GETS GOING BY 9:00 TUESDAY. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE A SOUTHWEST WIND THERE AS WE GET YOU ON INTO WEDNESDAY. SO AS HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES TO THE EAST, THOSE WINDS ARE GOING TO CHANGE. AND THAT’S GOING TO BLOW THE FIRE AND OR THE SMOKE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT. NOW WE’VE GOT SOME VERY COLD AIR. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE FREEZE WARNINGS, BUT WE HAVE WIND CHILLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING IN THE 20S AND 30S. REMEMBER THE GUYS AND GALS OUT THERE FIGHTING THESE FIRES, NOT JUST IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ELEMENTS. AND AGAIN, THERE’S THE WIND. RIGHT NOW, TAMPA BAY A SHORT TIME AGO, 31 MILE AN HOUR WIND GUSTS. AND YOU CAN SEE THROUGH 9:00 GUSTS IN THAT 15 TO 20 MILE AN HOUR RANGE. NOT AS STRONG AS, LET’S SAY, DURING THE PEAK OF THE AFTERNOON, BUT STILL HIGH ENOUGH THAT THAT CAN MOVE A FIRE AND ALSO DRIVE DOWN THOSE WIND CHILLS. YOU CAN SEE THE AIR TEMPERATURE 35. WIND CHILLS WILL BE IN THE 20S. A HARD FREEZE HERE IN DUNNELLON BACK TOWARDS REDDICK, OVER TOWARDS SALT SPRINGS. YOU GET INTO THE ASTATULA LEESBURG WEBSTER AREA. UPPER 20S, LOW 30S HERE INTO THE METRO AREA. AS YOU CAN SEE AROUND THE CITY. BEAUTIFUL. WE’RE ABOUT 34 WITH FROST, BUT ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE PURPLE THAT’S A FREEZE OVER TOWARDS THE COAST. HERE WE’RE IN THE LOW 40S, BUT YOU GET INTO WESTERN SECTIONS THERE OF BREVARD COUNTY. YOU’VE GOT FROST AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES SCOTTSMOOR WESTERN PALM BAY. LOOK AT THE LAND. ORANGE CITY BACK TOWARDS PALM COAST. BUT NOW YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT A FREEZE THERE. THEN YOU’VE GOT WIND CHILLS HERE THAT ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING IN THE 20S BY DAYBREAK TOMORROW MORNING. SO THE KIDDOS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BUNDLE ON UP. AND THEN AS WE GET INTO THE AFTERNOON TOMORROW, DRY AND BREEZY AS WE GET YOU ON INTO THE AFTERNOON, THE TEMPERATURES TOMORROW WILL CLIMB BACK UP INTO THE LOWER 60S. NOW THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS, BUT IT DOES COME WITH A CAVEAT. WE’RE GOING TO GET SOME RAIN, BUT DO WE GET SOME THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY? THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE WATCHING VERY, V
Watching the winds as brush fires are developing across Central Florida. 2.23.26
Updated: 6:53 PM EST Feb 23, 2026
Chief meteorologist Tony Mainolfi has Central Florida’s updated forecast.Watching the winds as brush fires are developing across Central Florida. Radar Hurricanes Severe Weather Alerts Map Room
Chief meteorologist Tony Mainolfi has Central Florida’s updated forecast.
Watching the winds as brush fires are developing across Central Florida.