The National Weather Service in Boston has issued a notice that severe thunderstorms are likely to strike Southern New England Wednesday afternoon and evening. 

The storms come ahead of a cold front that will end a long stretch of hot and humid weather. The NWS said storms will be scattered early in the day, beginning between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and then become more numerous later. 

"Some storms will likely contain strong to damaging winds, large hail along with torrential downpours," the weather service said. 

The storms will likely continue even after sunset, forecasters said, and some storm cells could dump as much as 2 to 3 inches of much-needed rain on some areas, creating the potential for flash flooding.