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NATCHEZ — Seasonably hot and humid weather will persist through Wednesday, but hot and drier weather will return to the Miss-Lou region just in time for the long Fourth of July holiday weekend.

While Monday saw low rain chances and high temperatures either in the upper 80s and low 90s, Tuesday could see higher rain chances as a rare early July cold front tries to push into the state from the central Plains states and Midwest region.

With the combination of the front, high temperatures in the low 90s, high humidity, and dewpoints in the low 70s, at least a 60 percent chance of afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms is in the forecast. Those rain chances will lower to 20 percent for Tuesday night.

Wednesday will start to see a change in the weather pattern as the front moves away and hot high pressure will slowly move eastward toward our area. That day will see about a 30 percent chance of afternoon and early-evening showers and thunderstorms with a high temperature in the low 90s. Dewpoints will still be in the 70s, so the heat index will likely reach or, in some parts of the Miss-Lou area, exceed the 100-degree mark.

By the Fourth of July holiday this Friday, expect hot and mainly dry weather with high temperatures in the mid 90s. With the heat index approaching the 105-degree mark, a heat advisory could be issued for that day. If not then, it likely will be issued for Saturday and/or Sunday as the high temperature those days will be the mid- to upper-90s with lots of sunshine.

A pop-up afternoon or evening shower or thunderstorm is still possible any of those three days, but the rain chance those days are at best 10 percent.