Long Island weather: Clouds, heat and possible thunderstorms

With an even chance of thunderstorms and some lightning, it's looking less like a Thursday at the beach on Long Island and more like a day for alternative plans.

A 30% chance of showers Wednesday night will change to a 50% chance of thunderstorms by about 2 p.m. Thursday with the potential for lightning, according to the National Weather Service.

Thursday's high will top out at 88 degrees, the weather service said. Humidity will hit about 76%. The overnight low will dip to about 73 under partly cloudy skies.

There is a chance of rain and storms Friday as well, with highs again in the mid-80s.

But take heart: the rain should clear out for the weekend, and Saturday and Sunday are both expected to be sunny with highs in the mid-80s.

Similar weather is predicted for Monday and Tuesday.