For anyone arriving in Orlando in the next week or two – the peak of our summer holiday period – there might be a real scare in store if you look at our current 10-day weather forecast. In fact, at a quick glance, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re heading into a monsoon!
But we are here to offer some meteorological words of comfort and sooth any major worries about being flooded out this month. Because what you see, in this case, isn’t necessarily what you get. We took a screen shot of our forecast on Sunday (Aug 3) and, at face value, it looks pretty off-putting:
Mon 04: PM Thunderstorms.
Tue 05: PM Thunderstorms.
Wed 06: PM Thunderstorms.
Thur 07: PM Thunderstorms.
Fri 08: PM Thunderstorms.
Sat 09: PM Thunderstorms.
Sun 10: PM Thunderstorms.
Mon 11: PM Thunderstorms.
Tue 12: Isolated Thunderstorms.
Wed 13: PM Thunderstorms.
(Yes, that’s just ONE day that differs, just slightly, from the blanket forecast of “Afternoon thunderstorms.” We always joke that the forecasters just put up a ‘Thunderstorm’ notice at the beginning of June, and then go on holiday until September!)
At least, that’s what Weather.com is telling us to expect as we ramp up the August heat to the usual 33C, with the humidity to match (which can easily add another 6 degrees to the “real feel” of the temperature). But there is a serious caveat to what the weather folk are telling us: these are not blanket predictions but a general overview of what to expect across Central Florida.
Yes, there WILL most likely be an afternoon thunderstorm somewhere in the region. And, yes, it will feel pretty wet and wild* if you happen to be underneath it. But there are two essential elements to any Orlando weather prognostication at this time of year:
1) These heavy bursts of thunder, lightning and tropical rain are often highly localised. That means it might be raining on the Magic Kingdom Park, but not on EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
And 2) While it will often hammer down for up to an hour, it will then clear out again and the sun will return, with the added benefit of being a few degrees cooler for an hour or two.
That is the outcome of a sub-tropical climate and the shape of the Florida peninsula. With the summer always bringing additional heat and moisture, and the combination of two large bodies of ultra-warm seawater off either coast, it doesn’t take a lot to stir up the atmosphere into a storm-generating machine of serious proportions.
And some of these storms with dump two to three inches of rain in the space of an hour, which can lead to the occasional burst of flash flooding in outlying areas, albeit rarely seen around the theme parks, where drainage tends to be top notch.
The main negative factor of all this climatological hocus-pocus is that all outdoor operations haver to close when a storm approaches, from the water parks to the outdoor rides in the theme parks. Hotel swimming pools should also do the same. Most attractions have a hard-and-fast rule for this eventuality, to the extent that if lightning is reported within a 10-mile radius, the word immediately goes out to shut things down until the weather clears out again.
This includes Disney’s Skyliner transport system (the cable cars that link EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios via the Riviera, Caribbean Beach and Pop Century resorts) and both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach water parks, Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando, SeaWorld’s Aquatica and Discovery Cove, and most of LEGOLAND Florida.
The big factor here is the lightning. Most rides can still operate during the rain, but definitely not if lightning is present. Central Florida is rightly labelled the Lightning Capital of the World for a good reason, in that there are more lightning strikes here per year than anywhere else on earth, and that is not anything to take a chance with.
Tragically, we have already had one death from a lightning strike so far in 2025 – a tourist paddling in ankle-deep water at New Smyrna Beach in June – and another dozen injuries. The general rule of “If thunder roars, get indoors” is a handy mantra to remember when a storm approaches.
But, once again, it shouldn’t ruin your day, no matter how persuasive the forecast. The simple rule of thumb at this time of year – which also stands whether there is lightning or not – is to make as early a start as possible for the theme parks, and take a break in the afternoon between 2 and 5pm, when storms are most active. From 8am to noon is the coolest time to be out and about, and arriving at least half an hour early for a 9am start at the theme parks can pay dividends in getting a good few rides under your belt before it starts to really heat up. And with the theme parks usually open until 9pm, the evenings are often the ideal time to return for a few hours.
This also goes for things like airboat rides, kayaking and other significant outdoor activities, which are also affected by stormy conditions. Sporting events like an Orlando City or Pride football game will also have to take a break if a thunderstorm approaches. You can also schedule some of the indoor attractions like ICON Park, WonderWorks, Andretti Indoor Karting and Orlando Science Center (which we blogged about last December) for the afternoon, and be sure you’ll be unaffected by any weather.
But DO prepare for the summer heat. Nearby Tampa Bay hit 100°F (37.7C) for the first time in its history this week and, while that extreme is still relatively rare, you can expect temperatures consistently in the 90sF, or 32-36C. That definitely befits an early start, an afternoon break AND drinking lots of water to stay hydrated while you’re enjoying all the fun of the theme parks. Just don’t worry unduly about that 10-day forecast. It isn’t going to ruin your holiday!
Have you visited Orlando in August? What weather did you experience? Tell us about it on the friendly AttractionTickets.com Community Facebook page, on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.
