A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the entire Shore area until 9 p.m. Wednesday night, forecasters said.

A cold front is predicted to roll through the region late this afternoon with the potential of sparking thunderstorms. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain, and frequent lightning, said a forecast posted Wednesday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday that warns of heat index values (a combination of air temperature and humidity) of 103 to 107 degrees.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are predicted after 2 p.m. with the likelihood increasing through the night.

High temperatures for the rest of the week will be in the low- to mid-80s with a mix of sun, clouds and more scattered storms.

The marine forecast calls for southwest winds of 11 to 17 mph with gusts over 20 mph on Wednesday. Seas will run 2 to 4 feet.