FIRST ALERT: Warmer on Friday, gusty winds and quick hitting storms arrive Saturday

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Temperatures will continue to warm Friday and Saturday before gusty winds and a round of showers and storms move in Saturday afternoon.

FRIDAY

Friday will see another round of beautiful spring weather. With clear skies, temperatures in the morning will range from the upper 40s inland to the lower to middle 50s along the Grand Strand. With sunny skies and an increasingly breezy south wind, afternoon temperatures will reach the lower 70s at the beach and upper 70s inland. A few clouds will start to arrive by the afternoon.

CHANGEABLE WEEKEND

The next cold front will push through the Carolinas on Saturday with a round of changeable weather for the weekend.

Saturday will turn out warm and windy. Temperatures will quickly climb through the day with afternoon readings topping out in the upper 70s to near 80.

Winds will increase through the morning and turn very gusty from midday through the afternoon. Gusts of 35 to 40 mph will be common through the day.

By the afternoon, the cold front will start to move into the area and will be accompanied by a band of showers and a few thunderstorms. The downpours and storms will arrive in the Pee Dee from midday into the early afternoon. By the mid to late afternoon, this round of rain will push through the Grand Strand. By mid evening, the front will push all of the activity off shore.

While there is not a lot of energy available for severe weather, the warm temperatures along with strong winds in the upper atmosphere could lead to one or two strong to severe storms and a LEVEL 1 severe weather risk in place.

After the front moves off shore Saturday evening, drier and cooler air will rush in once again.

Sunday will see a return to sunny skies and afternoon temperatures around 10 to 15 degrees cooler - in the middle and upper 60s.

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