By james art 
The next best chance of rain comes on Friday afternoon and Friday night. The weekend will be mainly sunny and soft.
Columbia, SC – The weather today will be sunny, warm and windy as high pressure is dominated. Temperatures are expected to rise in the upper 60, with some areas probably reaching 70 degrees. The winds will be from west to southwest at 10 to 15 miles / h, with some stronger gusts.
While the strong mixing and the pressure gradient pressure will contribute to these windy conditions, the winds are expected to calm down until the evening. The high -level scattered clouds will move at night and pass a dry cold front, passing winds to the northeast. This will lead to more cool temperatures overnight, immersing the middle to the upper 30.
Thursday will see a slight decrease in temperatures due to increased cloud coating and moisture. Initially, the winds will be from the northeast before moving south to Thursday evening, which will lead to the softer temperatures overnight in the middle to the top of the 40.
The strong low pressure system passing into the Ohio Valley will run a wide rain and possibly thunderstorms in Midlands.
Friday temperatures will reach the middle of the 70s, with deep moisture returning when the dew points climb in the middle to the upper 50 years. It is predicted that the amount of rainfall is between 1/3 “and 1/2”, and locally higher quantities are possible.
While current models show limited instability, which means that the activity of the thunderstorm can be minimal, the strong winds of the upper level and sufficient cutting can allow isolated thunderstorms. In addition, the southern wind gusts of 30-40 miles / h in front of the front can lead to the issuance of a breeze lake.
Dry and warm weekend ahead
After passing the Cold Front, the weekend and the beginning of next week will bring dry conditions above normal temperatures. The transition to northwest winds on Saturday will slightly cool the temperatures, but the maximums will remain in the mid-1960s. High pressure will maintain the extra rain from the forecast, with low levels in the 40s and potentially close to 50 degrees until the beginning of next week.