Rainy and mild Thursday; Beautiful weekend
THURSDAY: Areas of drizzle is possible this morning, with the main axis of rain still tracking through Oklahoma/Arkansas. While it’s not as cold as previous mornings, the overcast skies and rain today will make it feel cool. You’ll need that umbrella through the day, as the drizzle gives way to widespread rain as we head into the afternoon and evening hours. The heaviest rain looks to remain southeast of Hwy 54, where we could see a few rumbles of thunder. Up to a half an inch of rain is possible near I-44 this evening, with areas near Columbia/Jefferson City up to a quarter of an inch. Afternoon highs will top out near 50 degrees, with easterly winds up to 10 mph.
TONIGHT: The rain continues into the night, with an additional .25″ to .50″ of rain likely. As a surface low tracks through Mid-Missouri, we’ll not only keep rain in the forecast but breezy conditions are possible. Winds will be out of the north up to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25. Overnight lows will bottom out near 35, with wind chills approaching the low to mid 20s by early Friday morning.
EXTENDED: Rain showers will end Friday morning in most areas but closer to I-44, light rain could linger into the afternoon. Northerly winds will usher in drier air through the day Friday with high temperatures staying in the lower 40s, dipping to near 30 Friday night as skies gradually clear. We dry out as we head into the weekend, with afternoon highs near 50 under plenty of sunshine both Saturday and Sunday. A dry weather pattern is setting up for next week as we stay in a milder weather pattern. Stay with ABC 17 News as we continue to fine tune our tracks and forecasts.
