High heat, oppressive humidity and a few thunderstorms are all in the weather forecast for the Boston area through Friday evening, so the WBZ-TV Weather Team has issued a NEXT Weather Alert.

Damaging storms swept through the Midwest on Wednesday, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers and causing more than a thousand flight delays or cancellations at Chicago airports.

Southern Wisconsin counties, including Iowa, Lafayette, Green and southern Dane Counties had wind gusts reportedly reaching between 60 and 80 mph, Kronce said.