Keep an eye out for passing storms today and Saturday as the weekend begins unsettled but dries out by Sunday. Summer heat makes a strong comeback to start the new week. 

Today & Tonight: Friday will bring more widespread showers and thunderstorms. Rain will start near the coast early and move inland through the morning, growing in coverage and strength. Expect scattered storms Friday afternoon and evening, with most activity winding down by sunset. A few storms could bring heavy rain, gusty winds, and frequent lightning. Thanks to the clouds and rain, temperatures will likely stay in the 80s for much of the day. Overnight, lingering clouds and a few spotty storms will keep things warm and muggy, with lows near 76° in the Capital City.

Up Next: The weekend will start unsettled but trend drier. Scattered showers and storms are still likely Saturday, but a strengthening upper ridge will begin to take over late tomorrow night. By Sunday and into early next week, rain chances will drop sharply while heat ramps up. Expect hot and humid conditions Sunday through Tuesday, with highs in the mid to upper 90s and feels-like temps over 108°, likely prompting another round of heat alerts. Nights will offer little relief, with lows in the upper 70s. 

By Wednesday, the ridge shifts west, allowing more moisture to return and boosting rain chances once again. This should help bring highs back closer to average, in the mid-90s for the second half of the workweek. 

The Tropics: A broad area of low pressure over the north-central Gulf is currently producing an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Over the next day or so, slow development of this system is possible while it moves generally west-northwestward across the northern Gulf. By this weekend, the system is likely to move inland over southeastern Texas or western Louisiana, ending its chances for development.