Tracking spring-like warmth and sunshine to kick off the week

TODAY: Sunday is warm, with temperatures climbing 15° over Saturday's through the afternoon. We expect mostly sunny skies and a light south breeze to yield highs in the 50s and 60s through mid-Missouri.

TONIGHT: Winds will be variable this evening, as the cold front drops south. Still, skies remain mostly clear. Temperatures fall into the low 30s through Monday morning, just near freezing.

EXTENDED: The wind shift is temporary, as the warm front lifts north again at sunrise. This puts high temperature forecasts more squarely in the 60s, with 65° forecast for many in the heart of the region. Winds are again from the south, but only sustained around 10-20 mph. A cold front arrives Monday night, leaving us with north winds by Tuesday morning. Rain chances are looking minimal on Tuesday, as new information continues to come in dry. We see a chance for showers south of I-70 on Tuesday afternoon and evening, but chances are low. Little measurable rainfall is expected here. The problem is that the atmosphere is too dry, and the cold front struggles to find enough moisture to produce rainfall until it pushes south of mid-MO. Unless the front stalls Tuesday, it looks like we are dry on Wednesday, with highs notably cooler; in the 40s through the afternoon. Chances for showers return Thursday night into Friday, but again, confidence is low in widespread meaningful rain, as the core of this system is forecast to track south of mid-Missouri, and moisture values are modest in some data. Depending on the track and evolution of this system, it could spell healthy rain chances for the region into Valentine's Day Weekend, but that's not a guarantee at this time.