Hot and humid today, excessive heat and chance for severe storms Wednesday

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Today will be hot once again in the Philadelphia region, with high temperatures right back into the upper 80s to near 90 degrees. The chance of rain, however, will stay away, allowing the heat and humidity to carry us through the entire day.

An air quality alert is in effect from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Tuesday due to increased ozone in the air from the heat, sunshine and light winds.

Even more heat will build in the region Wednesday as temperatures soar into the low to middle 90s tomorrow afternoon, with feels-like temperatures likely ranging from 100-103 degrees. An excessive heat warning has already been issued for Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Late in the day Wednesday, all the heat and humidity will help fuel the chance for showers and storms through the evening hours.

Wednesday is a NEXT Weather Alert day because of heat and storm risk.

Some of the storms Wednesday afternoon and evening could become severe with damaging winds and hail being the primary concerns. Right now, the storms look to move out of the Poconos and into Lehigh Valley through the second half of the afternoon and toward the Delaware Valley into the evening hours.

The threat of severe weather will then weaken as the storms continue to track southeast into Wednesday night.

The storms Wednesday afternoon will be ahead of a cold front that will sweep through the region to usher in more seasonable conditions for the second half of the week. Highs Thursday afternoon will be in the middle 80s, with highs only around 80 degrees Friday.

By Saturday, another storm system will bring the chance for scattered showers and storms to the region. These storms will be most likely through the afternoon and may linger overnight Saturday into early Sunday morning.

Here's your 7-day forecast:

Tuesday: High of 90, low of 67, mostly sunny

Wednesday: High of 96, low of 71, heat and storms

Thursday: High of 81, low of 73, clouds, some sun

Friday: High of 77, low of 67, clouds, some sun

Saturday: High of 82, low of 69, scattered storms

Sunday: High of 86, low of 70, clearing

Monday: High of 82, low of 69, partly cloudy