Orlando weather: Slight cooling ahead for Central Florida with lower humidity levels

ORLANDO, Fla. - Tuesday night will be quiet across the region. Low temperatures will settle into the 70s, though humidity will remain high.  

On Wednesday and Thursday, rain chances will be below average for mid-August, with coverage at just 40-50%. By Friday and Saturday, rain chances will drop to near 0% — a rare occurrence for summer — due to dry air moving into Florida from the northeast, driven by Hurricane Ernesto offshore. Expect plenty of sunshine and noticeably lower humidity during this time.

TRACKING THE TROPICS: Tropical Storm Ernesto will impact Puerto Rico before rapidly intensifying on Wednesday. The storm is expected to become a hurricane on Wednesday and could reach major hurricane status by Friday. While Bermuda, often brushed by hurricanes, faces the possibility of a direct hit from Ernesto's eye on Saturday, potentially causing significant impacts to the island.

Atlantic Canada should monitor the situation closely for potential landfall next week, but the continental United States will be spared a direct threat. However, Florida's east coast can expect a high risk of rip currents and breaking waves on Friday and Saturday.

While we won't have any direct impact here, we will see our swells building on the Atlantic Coast, bringing a dangerous threat for rip currents midweek through the weekend.

The storm could become a hurricane in the next few days and has a chance to become a major hurricane before impacting Bermuda this weekend.

Aside from Ernesto, the tropical Atlantic is expected to remain quiet over the next 5–7 days.