ORLANDO, Fla. — Cooler, drier air swept down the peninsula overnight allowing temperatures to remain several degrees below average, although very pleasant for May standards.

A gusty wind also kicked up and will remain with us through the early overnight. The wind calms down late and under a clear and starry sky, lows dip into the 40s in Marion County and 50s elsewhere.

High pressure to our north drifting over the western Atlantic Friday will bring the wind around from the south-southeast in the morning to the south-southwest during the afternoon hours.

This will help bring highs back to seasonable levels in the lower to middle 80s under a mostly sunny sky.

Although not as windy, we’re still forecasting speeds of 10 to 15 mph after 1 or 2 p.m. Attention then turns to a weak front sliding toward Central Florida Saturday. It won’t have much moisture to squeeze out so only throwing in a 20-percent shower coverage at this time.

Otherwise, a mostly sunny sky is expected with highs in the low to mid-80s.

An area of low pressure developing over the Gulf of Mexico will send deep atmospheric moisture toward us Sunday with widespread rain and a few rumbles expected.

Right now the heaviest rain looks like it’ll stay south of a Tampa to Kenansville to Palm Bay line southward, but we’ll monitor for any shift northward. Almost everyone will pick up some needed rainfall and put a dent in current drought conditions.

Beach and Boating Conditions

We start Friday with poor conditions in the surf and lean very poor in the afternoon. Wave heights of only ankle to knee high and an easing northeast windswell will be with us. Enough churn in the water will create a moderate rip threat through the upcoming weekend.

Sea surface temps are currently in the low to mid-70s along our east coast.