Fiesta is kicking off hot, humid and possibly stormy — with a brief cooldown before the sticky weather returns.

Why it matters: Thousands of people will pack outdoor events across San Antonio this weekend.

What they're saying: The overall pattern is unsettled, National Weather Service meteorologist CJ Magnussen tells Axios. A muggy, potentially stormy start to Fiesta is on tap for major opening weekend events, including A Taste of New Orleans and Oyster Bake.

State of play: Expect warm, humid conditions today, with highs pushing into the low 90s and humidity holding in the upper 60s.

• A cold front moves through early tomorrow, bringing cooler conditions with highs in the low 70s Sunday and Monday, before gradually warming again by Tuesday.
• That cooler air could make it feel noticeably different for events like the Texas Cavaliers River Parade on Monday and the start of A Night in Old San Antonio on Tuesday.
• Temperatures are expected to climb back into the 80s by Wednesday, when humidity returns.

Yes, but: "Precipitation models are all over the place," Magnussen says. "This isn't one of those fronts where, as soon as it moves through, it clears everything out."

• Lingering showers are possible Sunday into Monday, even after the front passes.

What we're watching: It's still too early for a confident forecast for Fiesta's biggest parades next Friday and Saturday.

Of note: City officials are urging Fiesta-goers to take heat seriously.

• Hydrate early and often. Don't wait until you feel thirsty, and avoid alcohol or sugary, caffeinated drinks that can worsen dehydration.

The bottom line: Plan for heat, humidity and occasional storms.

• And keep checking forecasts as the biggest events get closer.

The Spurs are back in the playoffs, opening their first-round series Sunday against the No. 7 seed Portland Trail Blazers at the Frost Bank Center.

Why it matters: It's San Antonio's first postseason appearance since 2019.

State of play: The Spurs, who have won five titles, secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and have home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.

• San Antonio won two of three games against Portland in the regular season, including a 112-101 victory on April 8 without Victor Wembanyama or Stephon Castle.

The big picture: This is Wembanyama's playoffs debut after a dominant season.

• He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks. The Spurs outscored opponents by 17 points per 100 possessions with Wembanyama on the floor, per the NBA.

Between the lines: It also marks the Spurs' first playoffs since the mid-1990s without Gregg Popovich on the sideline, putting first-year head coach Mitch Johnson in the spotlight.

• Spurs players Castle, Dylan Harper, Julian Champagnie and Carter Bryant are also making their playoffs debut.

Threat level: Portland counters with breakout forward Deni Avdija, who posted career-best numbers this season.

The intrigue: The series also marks the return of Tiago Splitter — a fan favorite from the Spurs' 2014 championship team — to San Antonio, this time as the Blazers' acting head coach.

The bottom line: NBA writer Jeff Zillgitt picked the Spurs to win the series in five games.

What's next: Game 1 tips off at 8pm Sunday on NBC/Peacock.

• Resale tickets start at more than $100.

🏘️ The City Council yesterday approved more than $20 million for affordable housing projects, including more than $12 million from the last of the city's 2022 housing bond.

• Altogether it will fund 576 apartments and homes, including renovations at the Robert E. Lee Apartments downtown. (Express-News 🔑)

🍺 The Jefferson Market Icehouse is opening near Woodlawn Lake Park this weekend. It will offer barbecue and drinks from the duo who founded bars like The Modernist. (MySA)

🍽️ New restaurant (a)mar will open in the Credit Human Building on Broadway next month, serving coastal cuisine from Mexico and Latin America. (SA Current)

👋 Megan here! The Central Market Cooking School is a great way to spend a special date night, get in some family time or just sharpen your kitchen skills.

How it works: There's a cuisine style for everyone: Upcoming classes include Korean barbecue and A Taste of New Orleans. Tickets are available on EventBrite, and can range from about $90 to around $110 per person.

Pro tip: Classes sell out fast, so plan ahead. I booked about a month out.

My experience: I attended a handmade pastas class where we made dough and three different fillings: spinach and mushroom, four cheese and pumpkin with amaretti cookie crumbles.

• The chefs prepared extra dough in advance so that we could squeeze everything into the 2 1/2-hour class and still have time to sit for dinner and a wine sample.
• But the dough we mixed, rolled out and shaped into raviolis and tortellinis still ended up on my plate at the end of the night.

The bottom line: It's always nice to learn something new. Plus, pasta tastes best fresh.

The moment we've all been waiting for is here: Construction on South Alamo Street is done.

Why it matters: The long-delayed, high-profile road work between downtown and Southtown has caused headaches for everyone — drivers, pedestrians, business owners — for the last three-plus years.

Catch up quick: Construction began in late 2022, and was expected to be finished in time for the NCAA men's Final Four last spring. That didn't happen — although crews did temporarily patch up the street then for the events, giving us a glimpse of life after construction before South Alamo was ripped open again.

By the numbers: The final project cost came to nearly $59 million for one-third of a mile between Market Street and César E. Chávez Boulevard.

What's next: It's time to Fiesta, San Antonio. South Alamo is a key street for party-goers.