Today’s forecast calls for another day of hot, humid weather with heat indices above 100 degrees and a chance for thunderstorms. But cooler temperatures are in store for the weekend as a cold front begins moving in Thursday night, says Jennifer Schack, 6News meteorologist.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties until 7 this evening, with the heat index expected to range between 102 and 108, Schack said.

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The same conditions will apply to Douglas County, she said. She recommended wearing light clothing, drinking plenty of liquids and checking on the elderly, children and pets that are kept outside.

“It will be a very hot afternoon today,” she said.

This morning, the temperature had already risen to 79 by 8:15 a.m. in downtown Lawrence. Schack said the temperature is expected to be 84 by 9 a.m., 89 by noon and 95 by 4 p.m.

“We should top out at that 96 degree mark about 5 p.m. ,” she said. The record high for this day was 108 in 1974. The average high temperature for this date is 91. So far, we’ve had nine days this summer of 90-degree plus temperatures, she said. Lawrence had 23 90-plus days in 2003, she said.

There was a line of thunderstorms to the west of Lawrence this morning. But Schack said they would probably die out before they reached the Lawrence area.

“We’re calling for a mostly cloudy morning,” she said. “By this afternoon, lots of sunshine is in store.”

However, there is a chance for isolated thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight, she said. The National Weather Service predicted a 30 percent chance of rain tonight, with some of the larger thunderstorms producing large hail and damaging winds.

Thursday’s morning low will be 75, with the high reaching 90 by the afternoon. The afternoon will also provide the best chance this week for rain, with a chance for isolated thunderstorms that will be ahead of the cold front moving in Thursday night, she aaid.

“We’ll break free of the 90s, starting Friday,” Schack said. Friday’s morning low will be 67, with the high reaching only 82. There is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather will be cooler for the weekend with the lows in the 60s and the highs in the low 80s, she said.