FIRST ALERT: Additional showers and storms with heavy downpours expected but not as widespread

Showers and storms will be spottier than recent days across the Columbia area today, but any cell could unleash a heavy downpour, prompting ponding on roads and tricky driving. Brief dry breaks are possible today and Thursday before rain chances climb again as a boundary sags south by Friday. The First Alert Forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies Wednesday with a 30% rain chance and upper-80s, near 90 Thursday with only a stray storm, another 30% chance Friday with mid-80s, a wetter Saturday with 60% and upper-70s, and a mostly cloudy Sunday with upper-70s and a stray morning shower.