Tracking a rainy and breezy election day

TODAY: Tuesday is a wet one, with scattered showers and storms moving steadily from west to east through the day. Rain chances will generally increase through the morning and taper off in the afternoon, with some subtle differences by location. Dry time will likely dominate the forecast by early afternoon in areas west of Highway 63; meanwhile, rain lingers in the forecast through the early evening east of Fulton and Mexico. Consequently, getting out to vote may be easier in the morning in the east, and in the afternoon in the west. High temperatures are forecast in the low 70s, but again this will differ from west to east based on the arrival time of rain. A slim chance for a weak tornado or isolated severe wind gusts may exist IF storms can encounter enough instability. It looks unlikely that the environment will be able to muster the storm energy for this to occur, so the severe threat is very low. What is more likely is a non-thunderstorm pressure gradient wind from the south that will be sustained at 20 mph and gust to 30-40 mph. Some 40+ mph gusts will even be possible. This will be ahead of the main rain band, so when drier afternoon conditions arrive, the wind should die down as well.

TONIGHT: Cooler air infiltrates the region slowly behind the cold front, but it's enough to drop lows to near 50 on Wednesday morning.

EXTENDED: With clouds persisting on Wednesday, high temperatures are forecast in the low 60s. Rain may linger into the morning, but most of the day should be dry. Another shortwave trough will converge with today's system as it departs. This energy returns clouds and shower chances by Thursday night. South winds on Thursday will warm us slightly ahead of this limited rain chance. After a high in the upper 60s to near 70 on Thursday, another dose of northern air likely drops highs to near 60 on Friday and Saturday. Some may top out in the 50s these days, and morning lows may plunge into the 30s. This is much more typical for early November. Sunny skies and autumn air stay for the weekend and kick off next week's forecast.