The National Weather Service is warning of strong gusty winds – perhaps as high as 50 mph -- this afternoon and tonight that could cause power outages in the St. Lawrence Valley.

They also report a line of showers and thunderstorms approaching southern and central St. Lawrence County as of 11 a.m.

The high temperature is expected to reach around 60 degrees today under cloudy skies with rain and wind ahead of a cold front that will lower temperatures to a predicted high tomorrow that will not top 50 degrees. There is a 70 percent chance of showers today decreasing to 20 percent tomorrow.

The NWS has issued a wind advisory, in effect from 4 this afternoon to midnight tonight. They predict breezy southwest winds will increase throughout the day ahead of the cold front and will persist into this evening. Winds will reach 20 to 35 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph, NWS says.

The NWS also warns that winds of this magnitude can make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles, and are capable of bringing down small to medium-size tree limbs and may cause isolated power outages.

The winds are expected to be less severe toward the south of the county.

By Saturday afternoon, the clouds are expected to have been blown out of the region, leaving us with mostly sunny skies.

Saturday night, the chill returns with low temperatures around 30 degrees, and Sunday looks great: 60 degrees and sunny.

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

• This Afternoon: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 60. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

• Tonight: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Windy, with a southwest wind 23 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

• Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. West wind 15 to 18 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Southwest wind around 10 mph.

• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 60. Southwest wind around 10 mph.

• Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. South wind 9 to 13 mph.

• Monday: Showers likely after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

• Monday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southwest wind 9 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

• Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Southwest wind 10 to 16 mph.

• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind 9 to 14 mph.

• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. West wind around 9 mph.

• Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.

• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Southeast wind around 6 mph.