Clouds today bring a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 p.m. The high will be 73 and winds will come from the south at 7-14 mph with gusts up to 24 mph.

Thunderstorms this afternoon could have frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, along with damaging wind gusts and large hail, but a greater chance of severe wind gusts, hail and torrential downpours occurs late tonight and into Friday morning. There’s even a small chance that a weak tornado may develop as the line of storms moves across the state.

The chance of rain tonight is 70 percent, with more south winds  at 7-10 mph, gusting to 18 mph. Winds will be stronger in severe thunderstorms. The low will be 64.

Friday’s chance of showers and storms is also 70 percent, with most of the action in the morning hours. It will be cloudy and quite warm, with a high of 78. Winds will come from the southwest at 10-14 mph with gusts to 22 mph.

Friday night, the chance of showers and storms is 50 percent, with a low of 56 and southwest wind at 6-9 mph.

Even Saturday has a 20 percent chance of rain before 1 p.m. The high will be 68 under mostly sunny skies. West winds will blow at 6-10 mph. Saturday night’s low will be 41.

Things calm down for several days after that, with sunny skies Sunday and a high of 61. The low will be 40.

The new work week (and back to school) will start out sunny Monday, with a high of 68 and a low of 45.

Tuesday will be mostly sunny and 60 with a low of 37, and Wednesday will be sunny with a high of 62.