Friday evening commute along I-95 to be slowed by severe storms

Ahead of a press of less humid air, showers and thunderstorms could pack a punch across part of New England and the mid-Atlantic to close out the week.

AccuWeather meteorologists are putting the Interstate 95 corridor on alert for the potential of severe thunderstorms into Friday evening ahead of a push of less humid air.

A surge in heat and humidity ahead of a cold front will provide the necessary fuel for showers and thunderstorms to blossom into the evening hours, and some of these storms can be damaging.

As early as Monday, AccuWeather forecasters highlighted the zone from Maine to West Virginia in a "some" risk for severe weather to close out the week. Thunderstorms in parts of the area can contain wind gusts high enough to topple trees and power lines as well as produce hail and downpours. As with any thunderstorm, severe or not, dangerous lightning strikes will be a hazard to those outside.

The timing of the thunderstorms could be particularly problematic for commutes home on Friday or for travelers heading to the beach for a weekend gateway.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to move through the I-81 corridor in the early afternoon before taking aim at the I-95 corridor in the late afternoon and early evening.

Ahead of the storms, temperatures will spike in the upper 80s and lower 90s F from Washington, D.C., to Hartford, Connecticut.

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High temperatures are not expected to drop drastically in the wake of the thunderstorms, but humidity levels will lower noticeably.

Saturday is shaping up to be a spectacular day for outdoor activities with low humidity and seasonably warm conditions for mid-June. AccuWeather experts say this weekend will be the last couple of days to comfortably keep the windows open before the first heat wave of the season builds next week.

Additional reporting by AccuWeather meteorology intern Peyton Simmers.

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