Tracking the return of heavy rain by Thursday and Friday

TONIGHT: Patchy fog with a few spotty storms. Mild and muggy with lows in the upper 60s.

TOMORROW: Partly cloudy with isolated storms early, followed by widespread heavy rain and storms by evening. Highs in the lower 80s.

EXTENDED: We'll have a chance for a spot storm tomorrow during the day, but more widespread rain holds off until late afternoon or evening as low level winds increase and bring more moisture along the stalled front. A Flood Watch is in effect for areas along and south of the I-70 corridor from Thursday afternoon through Friday as we can expect 2-4" of rain, with isolated higher amounts. There may also be a few strong wind gusts, but the overall concern will be for flash flooding if rain can band over one particular area. Storms look to be a bit more scattered on Friday, and Saturday's forecast will hinge on the speed of the northward advancing warm front. If it is slow to lift, we could see continued rain and storms across Mid-Missouri, but if it lifts far enough north, Saturday will be hot and humid with highs in the upper 80s. We'll see dangerous heat begin to settle in as a stronger high pressure centers to our south/southeast from late weekend through much of next week. Highs will get into the low to mid-90s with the heat index exceeding 100 degrees each day through next week, perhaps getting close to Weather Alert Day criteria of 105 degrees. If we see a high enough potential for widespread 105+, we'll issue the Weather Alert Day for those day(s).