Same hot, humid weather ahead

Wake County, N.C. — A cluster of thunderstorms tracked across southwest Wake County Thursday afternoon, dumping on parts of Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina. 

WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze described Thursday's weather – partly cloudy skies, hot and humid with a chance of some afternoon storms – as "a typical summertime pattern."

"Once the sun goes down, the majority of the showers will diminish," he said.

Thursday's high only reached 82 degrees at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, but with humidity at 81 percent, it felt much warmer.

Rumbles of thunder could be heard in the capital city just before 3 p.m., and reporters at an outdoor meeting with Gov. Bev Perdue had to hustle inside when a spot shower fell.

Radar showed storms over Clayton and northeast of Durham along the Interstate 85 corridor at about that time as well.

"The chance of hit-and-miss storms is present every day in the forecast," Maze said.

Just before 5 p.m., heavy rain was falling at Fort Bragg, but the Triangle had dried out again. By 6 p.m., it was Apex's turn for a downpour.

"Your area could be the location that sees rain every day and others may not have any rain for several days," he said.

Friday's outlook carries more of the same hot, humid weather we have been seeing all week, with the return of the chance for some severe storms. A cold front will pass over the central part of the state in the afternoon, and it could bring some gusty winds with the potential to do damage, Maze said.

The front will likely stall at the coast through the weekend, making for mostly cloudy days on the beach.