Charlotte gets one more hot, dry day Wednesday before a cold front begins to change the picture Thursday. Early morning temperatures start in the upper 60s across the metro, skies stay mostly clear and a light southwest breeze holds through the day.

By afternoon, temperatures are expected to climb into the low to mid 90s, making Wednesday one of the hottest days seen so far this season. Charlotte is forecast to reach 93 degrees, while Wednesday night stays warm and mainly clear with a low of 68.

That heat is not confined to the city. The foothills are expected to top out in the mid to upper 80s Wednesday, and the higher elevations should run near 80. Through the daytime hours, conditions are expected to stay dry across the Charlotte area, with no watches, warnings or advisories in effect.

The shift comes on Thursday, when a cold front is expected to approach from the west. Clouds should increase through the day, and scattered showers and storms become more likely by late afternoon and evening. The wetter pattern is then expected to carry into Friday and the start of the weekend.

For now, Wednesday is the calm before the change — hot, bright and dry, with the first real chance for relief arriving only after the front starts to move in.