Forecasters out at Sterling are on the lookout for showers and thunderstorms today. They say conditions are ripe for some severe storms to develop as heat, humidity and an approaching cold front team up to make our afternoon and evening positively electric.

The cold front was out over the Ohio Valley early this morning. But it's headed this way, and due to crash through after 2 p.m. Showers and thunderstorms will boil up along the front or just ahead of it. This morning's discussion says "in the late afternoon/evening storms should begin to develop along/ahead of the actual frontal boundary. Damaging wind gusts and large hail will be possible within any severe storm that develops."

You can track conditions in downtown Baltimore via The Sun's own weather station, at Calvert & Centre streets.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms could even linger into Tuesday. But as high pressure works its way into the region, Wednesday begins to look like the best bet for outdoor activity this week. Temperatures will be close to normal for this time of year - near 87 degrees. But humidities should be relatively low, and sunny skies will dominate.

Then things begin to slip. As the high moves offshore, we get into the familiar "return flow," meaning that the clockwise circulation around the high begins to draw more hot, humid air up from the South. That, in turn, increases our risks for showers and thunderstorms. Forecasters put that risk at 30 percent for every day from Thursday through Sunday. Daytime highs will creep to 90 by Thursday and hang in that neighborhood right through the weekend.

Sooprise! Sooprise! Hot and humid on the Chesapeake in the summertime! What were we thinking when we scheduled an outdoor wedding for June 28? NOTE TO WEDDING PLANNER: Get more ice for the beer. Just send me the bill.