Elevated fire conditions likely through Monday afternoon

TONIGHT: Our temperatures will ease back into the 30s tonight with today’s winds subsiding. However, we will see a light breeze up to 6 mph and it will make that 30 degrees feel closer to 20. It will be noticeably warmer though, as the cold air we have been under shifts to the northeast.

MONDAY: It will be a chilly start to your Monday morning, but through the afternoon hours we’ll warm up into the upper 50s across the region. It’s the continuation of what will be another decent day for Mid-Missouri, but the warm and dry conditions will lead to an elevated fire risk for the area. Winds will be quite breezy out of th west anywhere from 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35. These conditions will allow for wildfires to spread rapidly, so outdoor burning is strongly discouraged. As we head into the afternoon hours, we’ll see some clouds increase from the north as a cold front tracks through. This frontal boundary will be a dry frontal passage, but we will see an increase in clouds and a return to cooler conditions as we head into the overnight.

EXTENDED: Tuesday will feature a return to 30s for highs, as the cold front will have cleared Mid-Missouri. We look to modify again by Wednesday as highs rise back into the mid 40s.. A weak disturbance tracks through Mid-Missouri by Thursday which could bring a few flurries, but the overall weather pattern remains dry through most of next week. It’s looking likely that the drought conditions will only worsen as we head into the coming days, with no sign of any measurable precipitation. Watch ABC17 news for the latest forecast and follow ABC17 Stormtrack on Twitter for updates.