Temperatures are forecast to drop as much as 30 degrees in the Baltimore region after a stint of extreme heat, with thunderstorms expected Wednesday evening.

Maryland saw near record-breaking highs in the upper 90s on Monday and Tuesday as part of an early-season heat wave across the eastern U.S. Much of Central Maryland will see a high of 96 during the day on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

But come Wednesday evening, temperatures will plunge. The strong cold front colliding with warm, humid conditions could produce severe thunderstorms after 5 p.m., said Jeremy Geiger, a meteorologist for the weather service’s Baltimore/Washington office. Marylanders should be prepared to move to a safe location during storms.

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Temperatures will stay in the 50s and 60s ahead of Memorial Day weekend, according to the weather service, with persistent rain through Sunday. Showers are likely to creep into early next week, said Geiger.

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“Which we need, considering the lack of rain we’ve had over the past couple of months,” he said.

Almost all of Maryland is experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Last week, the Baltimore Department of Public Works asked residents to conserve water as much as possible.