North Carolina Weather Alert: Showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop ahead of an approaching cold front Wednesday, announced the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City office.

The highest risk of thunderstorms will be late Wednesday morning through the afternoon, primarily inland from Jacksonville to Columbia, N.C. The threat of severe weather will diminish after 6:00 p.m.

The strongest storms could bring strong wind gusts and isolated large hail. Coastal flooding isn’t expected, but temperatures will drop after the cold front passes through the Outer Banks region.

For more information, visit https://www.weather.gov/mhx or the National Weather Service office’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.