Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast

Today:Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 %. Heat index readings 101 to 105.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 5 mph in the evening becoming light.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop with the main focus along the east coast sea breeze late in the afternoon. A slow storm motion will allow for locally heavy rainfall amounts. Gusty winds around 40 mph and frequent cloud to ground lightning will be possible as well.

The combination of temperatures in the low to mid 90s and high humidity will create heat indices around 104 to 108 degrees this afternoon.

Forecast Details: .high pressure aloft is centered over the area while the surface ridge is south of the area providing a southwesterly flow. Little change in this pattern is anticipated until late Friday when a shortwave disturbance over Mississippi Valley approaches the area. Rich moisture with precipitable waters over 2 inches will support 40-50% probability of precipitation today and Friday. Best precipitation chances will be southeast Georgia where precipitable waters are near 2.4 inches and along I-95 corridor as steering flow will push Gulf Coast sea breeeze to East Coast late each afternoon. Maximum temperatures will continue in middle 90s today with heat indices topping out above 105. Will have more clouds by Friday as disturbance approaches which will shave a couple degrees off maximum temperatures.

Changes to the pattern begin Saturday as upper ridge retreats west and tropical inverted trough moves over the Bahamas and vorticity generated from shortwave rotates into the forecast area. Will go with 30-40% probability of precipitation in the morning. MOS guidanguidance is higher but will limit probability of precipitation to 50% after 18z.

Today's Pollen Levels: 7.2 Medium (on a scale to 12); Predominate Pollen: Grass and chenopods.

For additional information visit the National Weather Service in Jacksonville website on the internet at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/