ORLANDO, Fla. – The drought continues to worsen across Central Florida. With dry conditions, low humidity and moderate winds in place, critical fire weather concerns are increasing across the region.

But there’s some relief on the way. A cold front is on the way. It won’t bring much cooler air, but it will increase rain chances from Friday afternoon into Saturday.

Forecast models are still working through the exact timing, so expect some fine-tuning as we get closer to Friday.

Right now, most data suggests rain begins moving in during Friday afternoon, with the heaviest rainfall likely overnight into early Saturday. Most of the steady rain should push out by late Saturday morning, though a few lingering showers and storms could redevelop Saturday afternoon.

As for rainfall totals, it depends on which model verifies:

The GFS model suggests coastal areas could see up to 1 inch of rain, with most inland spots staying under a half inch.

The European model paints a wetter picture, showing 1 to 3 inches in some locations, with locally higher amounts possible.

Blending the model guidance together, rain looks most likely to move in after 5 p.m., spreading into southern counties after 7 p.m., and continuing through early Saturday morning.

We’ll continue refining the details but for now, much-needed rain appears to be on the way.