Raleigh, N.C. — Heat and humidity could fuel scattered afternoon thunderstorms for the next three days, WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said Friday.

Some isolated storms dumped heavy rain on Wayne and Nash counties Friday morning. The possibility of scattered showers and storms will shift in the afternoon to the Triangle and areas west and north of it.

A similar weather pattern will prevail on Saturday and Sunday, creating chances for afternoon storms from the Triangle north and west those days.

"We do have a little better chance of thunderstorms, and we could certainly use the rain," Gardner said.

Wake County is among 49 counties suffering moderate or severe drought. The Triangle region is short more than 5 inches from the average 19.13 inches of rain that have normally fallen by this time of year.

Unseasonably high temperatures will continue to prevail throughout the weekend. Friday will see a high around 94 degrees, and Saturday and Sunday around 92 degrees.

The mercury, though, will drop a little bit going into the next work week.

"Our temperatures are gradually cooling off," Gardner said.

Highs in the mid 80s are predicted for a stretch of days starting next Monday and lasting until at least next Thursday.