515  
FXUS62 KMLB 190557  
AFDMLB  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL  
1257 AM EST THU FEB 19 2026  
   
..NEW AVIATION
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
ISSUED AT 1255 AM EST THU FEB 19 2026  
 
- AREAS OF FOG FORECAST LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING,  
WITH DENSE FOG POSSIBLE.  
 
- HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS THIS WEEK WITH INCREASING WARM AND DRY  
CONDITIONS. NEAR RECORD HIGHS POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.  
 
- A HIGH RIP CURRENT THREAT WILL EXIST THROUGH LATE WEEK. ALWAYS  
SWIM NEAR A LIFE-GUARDED BEACH AND NEVER ENTER THE WATER ALONE.  
ENTERING THE CHILLY SURF WILL BE STRONGLY DISCOURAGED FOR MUCH  
OF THIS WEEK!  
 
- LOW TO MEDIUM (30-40PCT) RAIN CHANCES AND LOW (20PCT) LIGHTNING  
STORM CHANCES FORECAST ON SUNDAY AS THE NEXT COLD FRONT PASSES  
CENTRAL FLORIDA. A SIGNIFICANT COOL-DOWN IS EXPECTED EARLY NEXT  
WEEK BEHIND THIS LATEST FRONT.  
 

 
   
UPDATE
 
 
ISSUED AT 824 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026  
 
MAIN WEATHER CONCERN INTO TONIGHT IS THE POTENTIAL FOR DENSE FOG  
DEVELOPMENT. GUIDANCE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT CONSISTENT IN SHOWING  
AREAS OF FOG/STRATUS FORMING AND SHIFTING EASTWARD INTO EAST  
CENTRAL FL LATE TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. HAVE  
INCREASED FOG COVERAGE IN THE FORECAST TO "AREAS" FOR MUCH OF THE  
INTERIOR AND TOWARD THE COAST OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, WHERE GREATEST  
FOG POTENTIAL EXISTS. DENSE FOG, PRODUCING VISIBILITIES OF A HALF  
MILE OR LESS WILL BE POSSIBLE. FOG MAY ALSO BE ABLE TO MIX WITH  
LINGERING SMOKE FROM ACTIVE OR SMOLDERING BRUSH FIRES TO PRODUCE  
LIMITED VISIBILITIES ALONG NEARBY ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE  
ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING VISIBILITIES LATE TONIGHT AND DURING  
THE THURSDAY MORNING COMMUTE, AND SHOULD SLOW DOWN IF ENCOUNTERING  
DENSE FOG.  
 
OTHERWISE, FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK FOR TONIGHT, WITH DRY  
CONDITIONS CONTINUING AND LOWS NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL IN  
THE MID 50S TO LOW 60S.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
ISSUED AT 158 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026  
 
CURRENT-TONIGHT...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 10-15 MPH "BACKING"  
ESE/SE ALONG THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON WITH SEA BREEZE FORMATION.  
TEMPERATURES ABOVE CLIMO IN THE U70S AT THE COAST WITH VALUES NEAR  
80 TO L80S INTO THE INTERIOR. WESTERN OKEECHOBEE COUNTY MAY REALIZE  
M80S FOR MAXES. LIGHT WINDS TONIGHT RETURNING TO AN OFFSHORE  
COMPONENT AREAWIDE. CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS WITH PSUNNY SKIES.  
BIGGEST CHALLENGE THIS PERIOD WILL BE POTENTIAL FOG/LOW (STRATUS)  
CLOUD DEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY THU MORNING. SEA FOG ALONG  
THE WEST COAST TONIGHT MAY ADVECT INTO PORTIONS OF ECFL LATE  
OVERNIGHT AND WILL LIKELY SEE SOME LOW CLOUD FORMATION AS WELL  
OVER PORTIONS OF THE COVERAGE WARNING AREA - ESPECIALLY THE I-4  
CORRIDOR. HAVE INCLUDED PATCHY (DENSE) FOG IN THE GRIDS/ZONES  
ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. MOTORISTS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR SUDDEN  
CHANGES IN VISIBILITY EARLY THU MORNING. OVERNIGHT MINS MILD IN  
THE U50S WITH A FEW L60S SPRINKLED IN NEAR LARGER METROPOLITAN  
AREAS AND PERHAPS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE TREASURE COAST/BARRIER  
ISLANDS.  
 
THU-SAT...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE WESTERN ATLC CONTINUES TO  
PUSH FURTHER SEAWARD WITH ASSOCIATED RIDGE AXIS ACROSS THE SOUTH-  
CENTRAL FL PENINSULA. THE NEXT COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHWARD INTO  
NORTH FL BY SUNRISE SUN MORNING. MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS AND  
INCREASING TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE, THOUGH A LOW (20PCT) RAIN  
CHANCE WILL BE FORECAST LATE SAT OVERNIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF  
LAKE/VOLUSIA COUNTIES AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING BOUNDARY.  
 
SW/W FLOW ON THU-SAT, WILL "BACK" ONSHORE EACH AFTERNOON ALONG THE  
COAST WITH SEA BREEZE FORMATION. HIGHS IN THE L80S (PERHAPS M80S  
FRI/SAT) EACH AFTERNOON ALONG THE COAST WITH M-U80S INTO THE  
INTERIOR. NEAR RECORD HIGHS FORECAST ON FRI/SAT ESPECIALLY ACROSS  
INTERIOR LOCATIONS. LOWS CONTINUE IN THE U50S TO L60S. EXPECT  
INCREASING DROUGHT AND FIRE WEATHER SENSITIVITIES TO CONTINUE. THERE  
WILL BE PATCHY TO AREAS OF (DENSE) FOG POTENTIAL IN THE OVERNIGHT  
AND EARLY MORNING PERIODS THRU LATE WEEK.  
 
SUN-WED...MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS WILL  
FORCE A STRONG COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD THROUGH CENTRAL FL DURING THE  
DAY ON SUN. THIS WILL USHER IN MUCH COLDER/DRIER CONDITIONS FOR  
EARLY NEXT WEEK. WE CONTINUE TO CARRY A MEDIUM (30-40PCT) RAIN  
CHANCE AND HAVE ADDED A LOW (20PCT) LIGHTNING STORM CHANCE FOR  
THE DAY ON SUN. AGAIN, ONLY BRIEF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINFALL IS  
EXPECTED WITH THIS SYSTEM AND WILL NOT PUT MUCH IF ANY DENT INTO  
THE CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS LIKELY TO  
BE BREEZY/GUSTY ON SUN.  
 
HIGHS ON SUN IN THE U70S TO AROUND 80F ALONG/NORTH OF I-4 WITH L-  
M80S SOUTHWARD. MON/TUE HIGHS MAINLY IN THE L-M60S AND MAY STRUGGLE  
INTO THE U50S TO AROUND 60F ACROSS PORTIONS OF VOLUSIA/NORTH BREVARD  
COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES MODERATE ON WED INTO THE L-M70S FOR MOST.  
LOWS DROP MON MORNING INTO THE 40S AREAWIDE - LOWEST IN L40S TO  
AROUND 40F ACROSS NORTH LAKE/NORTH VOLUSIA COUNTIES. TUE MORNING IS  
EXPECTED TO BE THE COLDEST IN THE EXTENDED WITH MINS IN THE M-U30S  
NOW FOR MUCH OF ECFL. NEAR 40F TO L40S FOR MUCH OF THE COAST &  
ORLANDO METRO WITH BARRIER ISLANDS IN THE M-U40S. WINDS WILL REMAIN  
ELEVATED SUN OVERNIGHT WITH LOWEST MIN WIND CHILLS/APPARENT TEMPS  
MON MORNING IN THE M-U30S TO L40S AREAWIDE - HIGHEST SOUTHWARD AND  
NEAR THE TREASURE COAST. LOWEST WIND CHILLS OVERNIGHT MON INTO TUE  
MORNING ARE FORECAST IN THE U20S TO M30S FOR MOST.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
ISSUED AT 158 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026  
 
SOUTHERLY WINDS 10-15 KTS, WITH PERSISTENT NE NORTHEAST SWELL  
KEEPING SEAS ELEVATED 5-6 FT THRU TONIGHT IN THE GULF STREAM AND 3-5  
FT ELSEWHERE. FROM THU INTO SAT, WE WILL SEE A REPEATED CYCLE OF  
OFFSHORE (SW/W) WINDS EXCEPT FOR "BACKING" ALONG THE COAST EACH  
AFTERNOON-EARLY EVENING WITH SEA BREEZE FORMATION. SPEEDS CONTINUE  
10-15 KTS BUT MAY SEE SHORT DURATIONS OF UP TO 15-18 KTS OFFSHORE  
AT TIMES. SEAS GENERALLY 3-5 FT THRU THU NIGHT SUBSIDING TO 2-4  
FT INTO FRI EVENING, THEN AOB 3 FT THRU SAT EVENING. BOTH  
WINDS/SEAS BEGIN TO RAMP UP THRU THE DAY ON SUN/SUN NIGHT WITH  
APPROACH/PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. GALE CONDITIONS MAY BE  
MET SUN NIGHT INTO EARLY MON. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN HAZARDOUS FOR  
BOATING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
 
GENERALLY DRY THRU SAT WITH SLIGHT RAIN CHANCES SAT NIGHT (NORTH).  
SCT RAIN CHANCES WITH ISOLD LIGHTNING STORM CHANCES AREAWIDE ON SUN  
WITH ACCOMPANYING FRONT.  
 
HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WILL EXIST THIS WEEK AT INLETS DURING THE TWICE  
DAILY OUTGOING TIDE. SMALL CRAFT BOATERS WILL NEED TO EXERCISE  
CAUTION HERE.  
 

 
   
AVIATION
 
 
(06Z TAFS)  
ISSUED AT 1255 AM EST THU FEB 19 2026  
 
MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF ON EXTENT OF STRATUS AND FOG SPREADING  
NORTHEAST ACROSS EC FL AFT 08Z TONIGHT. MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO  
THE MCO/SFB/DAB TAFS TO SHOW LESS CIG/VSBY REDUCTION WHILE  
MAINTAINING THE TEMPO FROM 09Z-13Z. IN FACT, NBM PROBS ARE NOW LESS  
THAN 20% FOR EVEN MVFR CIGS/VSBYS AT MCO. WILL AMEND AS NECESSARY.  
 
HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS ACROSS SOUTH FL WILL PRODUCE A S/SW FLOW  
THU WITH SPEEDS 8-10 KNOTS. A SE SEA BREEZE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE  
COAST SOUTH OF THE CAPE AT 10-15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 KNOTS  
POSSIBLE.  
 

 
   
FIRE WEATHER
 
 
ISSUED AT 158 PM EST WED FEB 18 2026  
 
BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE A WARM AND DRYING TREND INTO  
LATE WEEK, INCREASING MIN RH SENSITIVITIES. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW  
WILL PERSIST, GENERALLY REMAINING 10 MPH OR LESS. SLIGHTLY HIGHER  
WINDS ALONG THE COAST AS A SEA BREEZE DEVELOPS EACH DAY. INCREASING  
TEMPERATURES AND MIXING HEIGHTS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO VERY GOOD SMOKE  
DISPERSION THIS WEEK, ESPECIALLY OVER THE INTERIOR. THE NEXT STRONG  
COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO PASS THE AREA SUNDAY, BRINGING A LOW TO  
MEDIUM (30-40%) RAIN CHANCE AND LOW (20%) LIGHTNING STORM CHANCE.  
BREEZY/GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE LIKELY ON SUNDAY AHEAD  
OF THE FRONT. MUCH COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST FOR  
EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH INCREASING LOW MIN RH CONCERNS.  
 
PATCHY (LOCALLY DENSE) FOG IS FORECAST ACROSS MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL  
FLORIDA OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING WITH CONDITIONS  
REMAINING FAVORABLE FOR FOG OR LOW STRATUS CLOUD DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN,  
EACH NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY.  
 

 
   
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
 
 
DAB 82 60 85 60 / 0 0 0 0  
MCO 84 62 87 62 / 0 0 0 0  
MLB 81 62 84 61 / 0 0 0 0  
VRB 83 62 85 61 / 0 0 0 0  
LEE 82 62 85 61 / 0 0 0 0  
SFB 84 62 87 61 / 0 0 0 0  
ORL 84 63 87 63 / 0 0 0 0  
FPR 83 61 84 60 / 0 0 0 0  
 

 
   
MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
FL...NONE.  
AM...NONE.  
 

 
 

 
 
UPDATE...WEITLICH  
AVIATION...KELLY  
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.

The Nexlab FL Page Main Text Page