Tracking a wintry few days ahead of a warmer weekend

TODAY: Wednesday brings quite a change, and an overall winter like feel back to mid-MO. Overcast skies and temperatures in the 30s through the morning, with highs this afternoon getting close to 40 in Columbia, and warmer to the south with afternoon sunshine possible along and south of I-70. Those north of I-70 will keep clouds into the afternoon. Don't be alarmed if you see a snow flake or two fall from these low clouds, we won't see enough to amount to any accumulation.

TONIGHT: Temperatures remain cold, dropping to near freezing overnight. Winds from the west-northwest keep cold air influence on temperatures while clouds linger.

EXTENDED: We'll see low clouds linger for much of mid-MO again on Thursday, still with an emphasis in the northern half of the region. This and continued west-northwest breeze will keep temperatures seasonable. Expect highs in the upper 30s on Thursday. Winds will see a more southerly shift on Friday, allowing for a warmup into the mid-to-upper 40s. Some high clouds will create partly cloudy skies, but overall a sunnier day rounds out the week. Saturday morning, we're waking up to a chance at passing showers, but overall chances and expected totals are low, likely less than a quarter inch. Drier weather looks to return Sunday through the first half of next week, with temperatures remaining warmer than normal, landing somewhere in the 40s.