Strong and perhaps an isolated severe storms will be possible this afternoon across central Missouri. Strong winds and hail up to the size of a quarter will be the potential threats. A better chance for severe weather will come on Friday along and north of Interstate 70 where all modes of severe weather will be possible including large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and perhaps a tornado. Chances for heavy rain are expected to continue through the weekend and into early next week before the pattern becomes less active. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 75. North wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. Patchy fog after 4 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. East southeast wind 8 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 88.