Weather

Weekend warm up? But, 'What goes up, must come down – even in Florida'

By Brian Shields, WFTV.com, Kelly Healey and Kevin Williams
By Brian Shields, WFTV.com, Kelly Healey and Kevin Williams
Many Central Floridians bundled up with their scarves, coats and gloves as they stepped outside their homes to 30 and 40-degree weather.  
But Thursday brings an average high of 66 degrees and partly cloudy in Central Florida. 

CENTRAL FLORIDA — "It's another cold start, but temperatures are about to take a turn. We'll rebound into the 60s this afternoon and 80s return this weekend. But what goes up, must come down – even in Florida. Another cold front arrives by the middle of next week," Severe Weather Center 9 meteorologist Brian Shields said.

More: Flight delays at OIA | Check flights 

Thursday night temperatures wil be in the 50s and partly cloudy, Shields said. 

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Central Florida school officials said it's up to parents to dress children warmly. Once at school, principals will decide whether students will play outside or not depending on the temperature.
“We walk our kids to school so on a cold day we make sure they have their hats and mitts," said parent Brandon Hutchinson.
Parent Amy Pavlick said her daughter will be ready for the cold wait at her bus stop. Must haves, she said, include closed-toed shoes and lots of layers.
Homeowner Wayne Spires said he is concerned about more than what to wear when it comes to the cold weather.
Read: Fire department warns: Don’t plug space heaters into power strips
"My fire alarm went off last night. It got a little bit cold last night, so I turned on the heat," he said.
Michael Jachles, with Orange County Fire Rescue, said a smell when you turn on your heat for the first time is normal. Smoke, he said, is not.
"When you first turn on the heat there will be dust on the coils that need to burn off, so it is normal to have that smell. What you should not see is smoke. Certainly not flames,” Jachles said.
The Orlando Utilities Commission said it's ready to provide extra power for home heating during the cold snap, with extra systems and crews standing by throughout the evening and early morning hours.
Here are some tips from OUC to stay warm, protect your home, and save energy:
  • Set your thermostat to 68 degrees. OUC says for each degree above 68, the heating portion of your bill will increase four to six percent.
  • Turn the heater down or off when no one is home.
  • Keep portable or space heaters at least three feet away from furniture, bedding, walls, clothing, and other flammable items.
  • Turn off and unplug electric blankets when not in use.
  • Never use your stove or oven to heat your home.
  • If temperatures drop below freezing, cover any exposed water pipes and leave pool pumps running.
  • Open drapes and blinds to let the sun's warmth in during the day, then close the blinds at night.
  • Check under doors and around windows for cool air coming in, then seal those areas.
  • Set a ceiling fan to run clockwise, which will force warm air towards the floor.
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