Slight Chance Of Severe Thunderstorms Friday

The National Weather Service is reporting that there is a slight chance of severe thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening, into Saturday.

"There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms Friday afternoon into Saturday as a cold front slowly moves into the region," the NWS said in a hazardous weather outlook issued Thursday afternoon. "The main threat is damaging winds."

And, much to our chagrin, it looks like that's going to set the tone for what could be a weekend characterized by the possibility of storms, on and off, unless the forecast changes. But we could see some sun on Sunday, according to the current forecast. As always, when bad weather is a possibility, check the latest forecast with the National Weather Service before heading out.

Here is the extended forecast for Madison, as of Thursday afternoon:

• Thursday Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind around 8 mph.
• Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8pm and 11pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Increasing clouds, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds. Cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Cloudy, with a high near 82. Light southeast wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
• Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.