Showers and thunderstorms were in the area this morning, but we have cleared out nicely over the past several hours. The sun has been shining brightly over the past few hours and we have heated up into the mid 80's this afternoon. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is becoming more unstable with time, and showers and thunderstorms will begin to form and move towards the area later this evening. Some storms could potentially reach strong levels, producing gusty winds and heavy rain as well as frequent lightning. Severe weather is not expected to be a widespread threat, but could be an isolated concern. More than anything, the thunderstorms look to get in the way of an otherwise beautiful day. Stay with us on Twitter throughout the evening for instant updates as storms near the area. Featured image: SPC WRF model predicting thunderstorms over our area later today.

Forecast in detail: Showers and thunderstorms forming this afternoon and evening, becoming scattered throughout the area. The storms will move eastward with time and bring a chance of heavy rain, frequent lightning, and an occasional gusty wind. Low temperatures tonight will drop into the upper 60's behind the showers and thunderstorms. Skies should become partly cloudy by the overnight hours.

A Look Ahead: The weekend looks to offer a chance of showers and thunderstorms at times, but they should be generally isolated to scattered, and won't ruin the entire day. Temperatures should reach into the 80's, so it will feel pleasant and warm outside. Certainly no washouts to speak of this weekend. By the beginning of next week, the weather looks to be somewhat more fair, before a potential cooler pattern by the middle of next week.

Article written August 18th, 2011 at 2:30pm. Looking for a forecast? See New York Metro Weather's Long Range Forecast for the end of the week into the weekend, or view our Technical Forecast Discussion for the more serious weather enthusiasts. Also, check out our new Forecast Overview tab. For up to the minute details on forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.