Nashville residents should keep their umbrellas close at hand, a wet week ahead with several chances of showers and thunderstorms. With the humidity hanging heavy at 94% early this morning and the barometer reading 29.98 in, today's weather hints at the unsettled pattern set to affect the region. Overcast skies and calm winds gave way to a morning update that posits a 40 percent chance of rain, potentially developing into thunderstorms in the afternoon, as the National Weather Service forecasts.

The intermittent showers and possible thunderstorms are not just a today's story, but a recurring theme for the next several days. Temperatures are expected to soar to an agreeable 81°F with light breezes providing scant relief. By tonight, the likelihood of precipitation dips to a modest 20 percent, accompanying partly cloudy conditions and a mild low around 64 degrees, as noted by the official weather forecast.

Looking ahead, Sunday sees a repeated 40 percent chance of rain. This time, however, storms could emerge later in the day, against a backdrop of partly sunny skies and climbing highs nearing 87°F. The wind, steadfastly blowing from the south southwest, might pick up slightly, reaching 5 to 10 mph. As nighttime approaches, the odds of encountering showers and thunderstorms sharpen considerably to 70 percent, forecasting a likely end to the weekend under the tumult of weather's fickle moods.

The start of the work week does not promise any reprieve as Monday brings showers and possible thunderstorms with an 80 percent chance of rain, pushing through with a willful south southwest wind that could produce gusts up to 20 mph. By evening, there remains a lingering 30 percent chance that showers will make an appearance post 1 a.m., keeping skies mostly cloudy and temperatures around 66°F. The pattern persists with a 50 percent shot at storms both Tuesday and Tuesday night, and nearly identical conditions slated for Wednesday.

Meteorologists predict that the sun will just barely muscle through the clouds on Thursday and Friday, yet there is still a notable 60 percent and 40 percent chance for showers and storms, respectively. The temperatures, while warm, will not escape the shadow of the potential thunderstorms arriving both daytime and nighttime. Residents and visitors alike should be prepared for sudden weather changes and plan activities accordingly, keeping an eye on the skies but also, and perhaps more crucially, on the latest updates from the National Weather Service.