{"id":320933,"date":"2026-06-26T18:38:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T18:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/320933\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T18:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T18:38:09","slug":"heat-could-fuel-strong-to-severe-storms-across-central-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/320933\/","title":{"rendered":"Heat could fuel strong to severe storms across Central Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Heat could fuel strong to severe storms across Central Florida this afternoon<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHERITAGE PARK. WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT FOR THAT. HOPEFULLY THEY WON\u2019T HAVE TO DODGE TOO MUCH RAIN. YEAH, THE SHOWERS DON\u2019T LOOK THAT BAD ON SUNDAY AND IT\u2019S MOSTLY GOING TO BE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND BETTER SHOT FOR RAIN, I THINK ON SATURDAY AS WE TAKE A LIVE LOOK AT OUR RADAR THIS MOMENT, WE DO HAVE A STRONG THUNDERSTORM THAT\u2019S MOVING OUT OF MARION COUNTY, HEADING NORTHEAST TOWARDS ALACHUA, AS WELL AS PUTNAM COUNTIES. BUT WE\u2019RE SEEING SOME VERY HEAVY RAIN AND LOTS OF LIGHTNING ASSOCIATED WITH IT IN NORTHERN MARION COUNTY, RIGHT OVER CITRA AS WE SPEAK. REDDICK AS WELL. WE ARE SEEING THAT HEAVY RAIN JUST NORTH OF REDDICK AND RIGHT ALONG 301 THERE IN OCALA. ALSO TRACKING LOTS OF HEAVY RAIN JUST EAST OF DUNNELLON. THIS IS HEADING INTO MARION OAKS. AS WE SPEAK, YOU CAN SEE ABOUT 5 TO 6 LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH THAT. AS THIS IS HEADING EAST ACROSS MARION COUNTY. WE\u2019RE ALSO TRACKING COUPLE SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND BY THE SPACE COAST TITUSVILLE, GETTING IN SOME LIGHT SHOWERS AS WELL AS KSC. AND WE\u2019RE ALSO SEEING SOME RAIN IN FAR SOUTHERN BREVARD COUNTY. YOU SEE JUST WEST OF NORTH WICKHAM ROAD THERE AND ALSO HEADING NORTH TOWARDS ROCKLEDGE. SO AS THE SEA BREEZES WORK THEIR WAY INLAND, WE\u2019RE GOING TO SEE THAT RAIN COVERAGE INCREASE. SO BY ABOUT 3 TO 4:00, A FEW SHOWERS AND STORMS AROUND HEIGHTS. RAIN COVERAGE THIS FRIDAY WILL BE AROUND FIVE, SIX, 7:00 AS THE SEA BREEZES MOVE INLAND AND COLLIDE. AND NOTICE THE COVERAGE, MOSTLY INTERIOR LOCATIONS. I WOULD SAY A LOT. I4 AND I-75 NOTICE BY SEVEN 8:00, STORMS START TO BACKFILL TO THE WEST ALONG I-75. A LOT OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY TO CONTEND WITH. 96 IS A FEEL-LIKE TEMPERATURE RIGHT NOW IN DELAND AS WELL AS THE CITY. BEAUTIFUL FEELS LIKE 107 RIGHT NOW IN SAINT CLOUD. SO HOT AND STEAMY AFTERNOON. IF YOU\u2019RE HEADING OUTDOORS TODAY, MAKE SURE YOU GRAB THAT RAIN GEAR YOU\u2019RE GOING TO NEED, ESPECIALLY AROUND DINNER TIME. AND ONCE THE SUN GOES DOWN, WE START TO LOSE THAT DAYTIME HEATING AND HENCE THE INTENSITY OF THOSE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL GO DOWN. UPCOMING WEEKEND 50% CHANCE OF RAIN ON SATURDAY. I WILL SAY SUNDAY LOOKS TO BE A LITTLE BIT NICER THAN SATURDAY IN TERMS OF RAIN COVERAGE. ABOUT ONLY A 40% CHANCE OF RAIN. THE STORMS DON\u2019T LOOK AS POTENT ON SUNDAY EITHER. QUICK CHECK OF THE TROPICS. ALL IS QUIET OUT THERE. NO DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS. AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE SAHARAN DUST, BIG PLUME OF DUST, KEEPING THINGS REALLY QUIET IN THE TROPICS. SOME THAT DUST COULD BE HEADING IN OUR DIRECTION FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. SO HEADS UP ON THAT. IF YOU NOTICE SOME HAZY SKIES, THAT IS LIKELY THE REASON WHY, AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR CENTRAL FLORIDA CERTIFIED MOST ACCURATE SEVEN DAY FORECAST, RAIN CHANCES GO UP AS WE HEAD INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. NOTICE WE GO FROM A 50% CHANCE OF RAIN ON SATURDAY TO ABOUT A 40% COVERAGE ON SUNDAY, AND THEN A HIGHER COVERAGE MONDAY AND TUESDAY WITH A 70% CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THA\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Heat could fuel strong to severe storms across Central Florida this afternoon<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768911270_880_wesh.png\" class=\"lazyload lazyload-in-view branding\" alt=\"WESH logo\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tUpdated: 2:09 PM EDT Jun 26, 2026\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesh.com\/article\/hearst-television-news-policy-statements\/14471973\" class=\"editorial-standards border-left\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Editorial Standards \u24d8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHeat is building across Central Florida on Friday, helping fuel a few strong storms that could briefly reach severe limits later this afternoon and evening.As the sea breezes move inland, a few pulse-type storms may develop. The main concerns will be gusty winds and locally heavy rain, with some hail also possible.A brief severe storm cannot be ruled out as the sea breezes collide around mid-evening.Rainfall totals in the heaviest storms will generally range from 1 to 2 inches.Looking aheadThe heat will continue through the weekend, along with daily chances of storms. Storm coverage is expected to increase next week as a weather feature moves across northern Florida, bringing a better chance for widespread rain.First Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda, Cam Tran and Victoria Wisniewski.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\tORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Heat is building across Central Florida on Friday, helping fuel a few strong storms that could briefly reach severe limits later this afternoon and evening.<\/p>\n<p>As the sea breezes move inland, a few pulse-type storms may develop. <\/p>\n<p>The main concerns will be gusty winds and locally heavy rain, with some hail also possible.<\/p>\n<p>A brief severe storm cannot be ruled out as the sea breezes collide around mid-evening.<\/p>\n<p>Rainfall totals in the heaviest storms will generally range from 1 to 2 inches.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tThis content is imported from Twitter.<br \/>\n\tYou may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.\n<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead<\/p>\n<p>The heat will continue through the weekend, along with daily chances of storms. <\/p>\n<p>Storm coverage is expected to increase next week as a weather feature moves across northern Florida, bringing a better chance for widespread rain.<\/p>\n<p>First Warning Weather <\/p>\n<p>Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.<\/p>\n<p>Download the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesh.com\/article\/wesh-2-app\/41431568\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">WESH 2 News app<\/a> to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. <\/p>\n<p>The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesh.com\/news-team\/c15dac96-e8e1-4a2f-8a7c-b0d9c1d1ede8\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tony Mainolfi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesh.com\/news-team\/b84a2751-86e2-4b70-8f05-12ecc06b0236\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Eric Burris<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesh.com\/news-team\/3dfc326b-9da6-4263-b1a0-92b081d5d993\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Marquise Meda<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wesh.com\/news-team\/97bcf79a-31d8-4f11-b87a-39b3812b68f6\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cam Tran<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61560185211984\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Victoria Wisniewski<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Heat could fuel strong to severe storms across Central Florida this afternoon HERITAGE PARK. WILL BE A LOT&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":320934,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[8493,26849,147,133070,133068,89135,5120,28,30,29,1454,133067,5126,5122,80477,64135,133069,39538,42310],"class_list":["post-320933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-afternoon","tag-cam-tran","tag-central-florida","tag-daily-chance","tag-few-strong-storm","tag-fields","tag-first-warning-weather","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-heat","tag-heavy-storm","tag-marquise-meda","tag-radarsevere-weather-alertsdownload","tag-sea-breeze","tag-severe-storm","tag-weather-feature-move","tag-well-chance","tag-widespread-rain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/320934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}