 Much of northern New England will escape the wet weather today with highs in the 70s and 80s. Meanwhile, a cold front swinging through the northern plains will trigger some afternoon thunderstorms from the Dakotas and Nebraska east into Minnesota and Iowa. Expect a mix of clouds and sunshine from St. Louis and Chicago over toward Detroit. Although a stray afternoon thunderstorm cannot be ruled out in these areas. Daytime heating will lead to afternoon thunderstorms popping up over parts of Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas, which can lead to localized flooding.