A day of warmth before snow arrives

THURSDAY: Following a cold start to the day, temperatures will finally warm to seasonal levels. Thursday is one of those days that you’ll want to take advantage of, as winter returns with a vengeance into Friday. It will be a windy day Thursday, with winds out of the southwest up to 15 mph and gusts as high as 25. With the warming winds, highs will climb into the lower 60s under partly cloudy skies.

TONIGHT: Overnight lows tonight will again be a tad warmer with southwesterly flow in place through the day on Thursday. Temperatures will bottom out in the upper 30s under mostly cloudy skies. Winds will eventually shift out of the north by morning from 6-8 mph.

EXTENDED: As quickly as the spring tease arrived, temperatures will begin to fall quickly as a strong cold front tracks through the region. Friday will be a raw and cold day across Mid-Missouri, with falling temperatures through the day. While the first part of the day will be dry, building moisture from the southwest will move into the cold air in place across the region. This will lead to some rain showers that will transition into snow through the evening hours Friday. Preliminary forecast totals have areas along and south of I-70 seeing anywhere from 1-2 inches of snow, with areas north of I-70 likely seeing lower amounts. There is a brief window of opportunity for some freezing rain/sleet in southern portions of Mid-Missouri Friday evening. With the snow expected into Friday night, cold air will quickly plummet temperatures into the upper teens by Saturday morning. Highs will be slow to rebound, as we only climb into the upper 30s by Saturday afternoon under mostly sunny skies. Another chance of rain and wintry mix moves in Sunday as temperatures stay cool, only reaching the low 50s. Stay tuned to ABC 17 for the latest forecast and updates.