Tracking a system that brings more warmth via gusty winds Friday

TODAY: Gusty winds are driving an even warmer day Friday, after a 10 degree climb Thursday. Winds from the southwest will be sustained in the 15-25 mph range, and gust at times as high as 40 mph or higher. This will warm us into the low 60s despite enough cloud cover to leave us mostly cloudy through most of the day.

TONIGHT: A cold front will arrive to change the direction of our winds. This will bring a line of spotty showers through mid-Missouri after 9 p.m. Little to no rain accumulation is expected. Winds shifting from the north will be gusty at times, dropping temperatures into the low-to-mid 20s by Saturday morning.

EXTENDED: High pressure at the surface will keep us dry and mostly sunny through the majority of Saturday. High clouds will return late Saturday night, as moisture tries to return for Sunday. It currently looks as if any precipitation will struggle to make it north of the Springfield area, leaving us dry through the weekend. Some potential for freezing rain exists in the Springfield area as rain may fall through temperatures near or below freezing. Still, little impact is expected here. Sunday afternoon we stay dry, and climb temperatures into the upper 40s. Our next rain chance holds off until Monday afternoon, where enough moisture is pulled in from the south to bring a chance at some showers. This will be ahead of a low pressure system that arrives on Tuesday and brings another cold front through. This will increase chances for rain slightly on Tuesday. Timing currently looks to focus the rain early in the day on Tuesday, leaving us cold behind the system in the afternoon. Highs are forecast in the 30s Tuesday, with not much change on Wednesday despite more sun.