Prepare for some heavy rain, thunderstorms starting later today

Residents should prepare for several days of wet weather as storms move through the area. A chance of showers and thunderstorms begins this afternoon, with the likelihood increasing to 60% after 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Some storms could produce heavy rainfall.

Today’s high will reach near 80 degrees with cloudy skies and east-southeast winds around 10 mph. Rainfall between one-half and three-quarters of an inch is possible.

The National Weather Service notes that moisture in the atmosphere is about twice what’s normal for late March. This unusually moist air mass means storms can produce heavy rain in short periods of time.

Tonight, the precipitation chance increases to 80% with showers and thunderstorms likely before 7 p.m., then continuing overnight. Temperatures will drop to around 59 degrees with southeast winds around 10 mph and gusts up to 20 mph.

Thursday brings a 100% chance of precipitation, starting with morning showers and developing into thunderstorms after 10 a.m. as a main upper-level trough approaches. Patchy fog will form before 1 p.m. The high temperature will reach only 67 degrees with continued east-southeast winds around 10 mph and gusts up to 20 mph.

Forecasters have placed the area under marginal to slight risk for excessive rainfall through Thursday, with some locations potentially receiving 5+ inches of total rainfall. Urban areas could experience first flooding impacts, while drought-compacted soils in suburban and rural areas might create runoff issues leading to small stream flooding.

Thursday night will see continued showers and thunderstorms, diminishing to a chance after 1 a.m., with patchy fog between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m. The low will be around 58 degrees.

The wet pattern begins to ease Friday as the mid-level low moves northeast, with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Patchy morning fog will clear by 11 a.m. Temperatures will rebound to near 77 degrees under mostly cloudy skies with south winds between 5 and 10 mph.