thunderstorms and weather right now

[AR81]

Looking at the forecast for my upcoming trip 8/13- 8/19, mostly every day has thunderstorms indicated but i know that doesnt really mean anything. It could rain in one part and not the other, etc.. For those that are there right now or just came back can you tell me specifics like how often it rained, was it a downpour for hours or not last very long etc? I am hoping for at least a couple of days of no rain but not sure what to expect. We currently have 8/15 planned as a water park day but then i checked the forecast and i think its pretty much the worse day for rain. Therefore i made some backup fps in case and change our waterpark day to 8/18 that looks better. For those that just got back, did u feel the rain was worse tha normal, lighter than normal, etc?

 

[AR81]

Also i looked at accuweathers website not sure if the other websites have different info.

 

[NS8VN]

Don't put any faith in a weather forecast more than 3-5 days in the future. A meteorologist I know likes to say you can trust a 3-day, anything over 5 is nothing but a guess. The further out from 5 you get the more wild the guesses get.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

you are kidding yourself if you think that future cast weather for Orlando will give you any help beyond a day or two. Living in Orlando for almost 20 years, it is impossible to really have an accurate prediction of rain, even on the actual day for summer storms. The Disney area tends to get less activity than the rest of Metro Orlando as far as the summer storm pattern. The least likely place for rain is the Magic Kingdom, the most likely is at Disney Springs, Typhoon Lagoon, and Hollywood Studios, based upon the geography and typical pattern of sea breeze collisions. It is completely hit or miss as to how long the rain may be, if it comes at all. Your best bet is to expect rain between 3 and 6, and plan accordingly. The long range forecast can be predicting higher chances of rain, but high pressure can take hold and make it so there is no moisture at all. Right now, parts of Orlando are in a drought, where others have had rain daily. It hasn't rained in Melbourne for over 30 days. Greatest job in the world - Meteorologist in Orlando: same forecast for 8 straight months (high of 92, low of 76, 40 - 50 % chance of rain) and you can be wrong most of the time and still be right.

 

[Tomh]

Well, I'm not there right now, but I've spent two weeks there every August since 2008, so I have a pretty good idea what to expect.

There are days occasionally, like anywhere else in the world, when it rains pretty much all day.

That is NOT the norm for central Florida in the summer though. The normal weather you will see is a storm generally mid to late afternoon (say between 2 and 4 or so). That storm is pretty easy to see coming usually, just keep an eye on the clouds, when you see them starting to build upwards, you can be pretty sure the storm is on it's way. Typically the storm will include heavy rain (really heavy) and sometimes lightning. Usually the storms will last somewhere between 15 minutes and an hour, and then be done and gone for the day. All day rains, or rains that start in the afternoon and go through the evening are NOT typical, though it does happen from time to time. For the most part, when a storm starts up, you can find a long ride, or attraction, and by the time you get back out, the storm will be over.

 

[Shanti]

Looking at the forecast for my upcoming trip 8/13- 8/19, mostly every day has thunderstorms indicated but i know that doesnt really mean anything. It could rain in one part and not the other, etc.. For those that are there right now or just came back can you tell me specifics like how often it rained, was it a downpour for hours or not last very long etc? I am hoping for at least a couple of days of no rain but not sure what to expect. We currently have 8/15 planned as a water park day but then i checked the forecast and i think its pretty much the worse day for rain. Therefore i made some backup fps in case and change our waterpark day to 8/18 that looks better. For those that just got back, did u feel the rain was worse tha normal, lighter than normal, etc?

We were there this mid-July and experiencd daily thunderstorms for a few hours each afternoon. Completely expected. What was annoying was there was more lightning (even in the absence of rain) than the year before, which closed things down occasionally (such as rides, resort pools, etc.) It varied by day when & how long there was rain and/or lightning. The only constant was that mornings were always clear, which is why I scheduled outdoor rides for mornings as much as possible.

I wouldn't hope for "a couple of days with no rain" at WDW in summer, because you're going to be disappointed. If you want that, you need to visit during a different season. Every summer morning there's a clear, blue sky, which turns to clouds & rain at some point after noon. However, the rain typically only lasts for 1 - 3 hours. It's not all-day rain at all. What this means is that you need to be flexible with your days, arrive early to parks to get your must-do outdoor rides done, & always wear shoes that you don't mind getting wet.

We found Blizzard Beach to be terribly crowded the morning we were there, & were actually relieved when an early 2-hour thunderstorm chased most of the park guests out. We waited the storm out, & then the rides reopened with very short lines, so we got everything done within an hour. Then the thunderstorm came back & we left, satisfied.

During our Typhoon Lagoon day (less crowded), we stayed there until 1 or so, & it began raining a little while after we left.

Rain & sun are things you have to deal with at WDW in summer, but with planning & flexibility they won't spoil your trip. We had a blast! The July crowds were low this year.

 

[gap2368]

It is FL and FL has afternoon showers. Looking at the weather this fair in advance is useless I would bring something for rain like a poncho umbrella every day as you could have a day with 0% chance of rain and by 3pm the skies will open up and your think the great flood is coming again. Then an hour latter blue skies

 

[ArwenMarie]

I agree with previous comments, anything must-do is that is outside should be planned for the mornings when visiting in the summer, including the waterparks.

Including even swimming actually. We've had trips where the kids started to get annoyed with us because they didn't get a chance to swim in the resort pool in the afternoons, so much so that we had to move things around and block out a morning to swim. It's not always just a quick little shower.

 

[Shanti]

We've had trips where the kids started to get annoyed with us because they didn't get a chance to swim in the resort pool in the afternoons, so much so that we had to move things around and block out a morning to swim. It's not always just a quick little shower.

So true. Our first night we really wanted to swim, but the pool was closed from about 6pm onwards due to lightning (despite the fact that there was no rain).

 

[ArwenMarie]

So true. Our first night we really wanted to swim, but the pool was closed from about 6pm onwards due to lightning (despite the fact that there was no rain).

That's a good point, it's not just rain, it's lightning storms you're dealing with on most days.

 

[AR81]

Thank you all for all the replies. I will try to prepare for rain every day then. For the poster that mentioned swimming, thats a good point. We are staying at the Beach Club and obviously hoping to spend time at the pool. But right now its morning park plans with afternoon breaks at the resort.

 

[jsrj21]

My family and I go every summer....August specifically, and the weather forecast is hilarious...it never changes. 93-95 Degrees with a chance of rain. What changes is the percentage for chance of rain. The weather is the last thing I worry about because I don't want to stress about anything. I think it may have been last year but it rained every day between 3-5:00pm. Then it was over and slightly cooler.

To be honest, let it rain....I'm at Disney. I'll take a few rainy days at Disney than sunny ones at home. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Greenbmw17]

We were there last week and it rained only once. A short rain storm that lasted about an hour and a half while we were at MK. But with the high humidity, we welcomed the rain. The park was much more comfortable after.

 

[NH-to-FL]

Thank you all for all the replies. I will try to prepare for rain every day then. For the poster that mentioned swimming, thats a good point. We are staying at the Beach Club and obviously hoping to spend time at the pool. But right now its morning park plans with afternoon breaks at the resort.

Sounds like you have the right plan for a summer visit to WDW! Afternoon breaks are a must. At least for us northerners. And keep your ponchos handy just in case!

We'll be there from the 11th through the 23rd so we will enjoying it right along with you.

Wishing you a magical trip!

 

[AR81]

We were there last week and it rained only once. A short rain storm that lasted about an hour and a half while we were at MK. But with the high humidity, we welcomed the rain. The park was much more comfortable after.

Oh that is such good news. I know things can change drastically in 2 weeks but I would love that. I personally understand the need for the rain and how we can still tour the parks, etc.. Its my husband and family that I know will be downers about it. We are in Texas that doesnt see rain for weeks at a time. I have tried to tell them its not the end of the world and there are so many indoor shows and attractions that it will be fine. And hopefully when it does rain it wont last more than a couple of hours.

 

[AR81]

Sounds like you have the right plan for a summer visit to WDW! Afternoon breaks are a must. At least for us northerners. And keep your ponchos handy just in case!

We'll be there from the 11th through the 23rd so we will enjoying it right along with you.

Wishing you a magical trip!

Thanks. We are very excited. We dont get to go a lot and this is the first time my husband and stepson has been since our very first time 12 years ago. Me and my youngest son went 3 years ago by ourselves but we went in February. It was glorious weather. I know we are not getting that kind of weather this time but I couldnt pass up on the deal I got at Beach Club. It wss only for certain dates so I didnt really have a choice and cant take my 12 year old out of school . We are hoping for the best!

 

[Amw1064]

I just got home last night and spent 3 days at Beach club but went to the various parks in the evening. We spent 5-6 hours in the pool every day and not a drop a rain at all. I live an hour and a half away and my pool was almost filled to the top from so much rain while we were gone. Everyone kept messaging me if we were able to use the pool. It just depends. We use weather.com and put Walt Disney World as our city.