Severe weather possible Thursday afternoon - KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and Sports

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- We're facing the prospect of some strong thunderstorms in the area this afternoon and early evening as a cold front pushes eastward toward the Mississippi River and into Wisconsin. 

A storm system riding along that front will spark some of those thunderstorms, possibly producing large hail, strong and damaging winds, and even some tornadoes between the early afternoon and about 6:00 this evening locally before the cold front moves out of the area this evening. 

Temperatures behind the front will drop off a bit as the winds turn to the west and remain rather gusty. 

Some of the gusts through the day will reach 35 or 40 miles per hour, even outside of the stronger thunderstorms. 

High temperatures to the east will be in the low 80s while behind the front to the west, we'll be seeing a low of 60s and low 70s today.