Rain chances going up for Friday into the weekend across Maryland

A warm front lifting through the region tonight will bring a noticeable change in our weather pattern, ushering in more moisture and instability. Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies overnight with lows in the mid to upper 60s.

Friday will start off with sunshine and seasonable warmth, with high temperatures climbing into the low to mid 80s. However, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon as the atmosphere becomes more unstable. Most storms will taper off by Friday evening, leading to a dry and mild overnight period with lows holding in the 60s.

Storm chances increase on Saturday, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Highs will again reach the low to mid 80s. Some storms could be strong to severe, with damaging wind gusts and hail being the primary threats. A WJZ First Alert Weather Day may be issued for Saturday due to the heightened risk of severe weather.

More widespread clouds and slightly cooler temperatures are expected Sunday as additional storms remain in the forecast. Highs will fall back into the 70s.

Looking ahead, a cut-off area of low pressure spinning over the eastern U.S. will keep rain and storm chances elevated through the early to middle part of next week. Showers and storms are likely on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday as the system slowly drifts eastward.

While the stretch of unsettled weather may be inconvenient, it brings some needed rainfall. Baltimore remains over 4 inches below normal for the year, and rainfall totals between 1 to 3 inches are possible from the weekend into midweek - which should help chip away at the deficit.

High temperatures will remain in the 70s through at least midweek next week thanks to widespread cloud cover and persistent storm chances. Stay with WJZ First Alert Weather for updates as this prolonged stormy pattern unfolds.