The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement and a hazardous weather outlook for the St. Lawrence Valley for the possibility of heavy rain and the potential for flooding.

The potential for heavy rainfall across the North Country exists as the region remains under a warm and humid regime.

Showers and thunderstorms will develop during the afternoon hours and move across the area through the early evening. Thunderstorms that do develop will be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall.

People can expect more potential problems should any heavy rainfall occur, according to the NWS.

They warn that if rainfall persists today and tonight, people should be aware that flooding could occur in a short period of time.

The high temperature today will be in the mid-80s, dropping to a low in the mid-60s.

The chance of rain today is put at 50 percent, 40 percent tonight, and 40 percent tomorrow, with the chance of more rain through the weekend and into next week.

You can watch for thunderstorms through the NorthCountryNow.com weather page.

The NWS forecast for the St. Lawrence Valley and the northwestern Adirondacks:

• Independence Day: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Southwest wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

• Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then a slight chance of showers. Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southwest wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

• Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Southwest wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

• Friday Night: A chance of showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

• Saturday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Light southwest wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

• Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind around 6 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

• Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. West wind around 7 mph.

• Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

• Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph.

• Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Calm wind.

• Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. West wind 3 to 8 mph.

• Tuesday Night: A chance of thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Light southwest wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

• Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Southwest wind 3 to 7 mph.