Tapping into colder air into the start of winter
FRIDAY: Clouds will decrease and although we’ll have mostly sunny skies, temperatures will stay cold with highs in the upper 30s. Northwesterly winds up to 15 mph will produce wind chills in the 20s through the afternoon. Winter officially starts at 4:23 PM as the sun’s direct rays cross the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere.
TONIGHT: Temperatures will drop back into the upper 20s, feeling a lot like winter as we head into the first night of the season. Winds will begin to shift tonight out of the south. Luckily, winds won’t be too breezy so we won’t see much of a wind chill.
EXTENDED: Christmas weekend looks mainly dry with lows in the upper 20s and highs climbing into upper 40s on Saturday, with a slightly cooler Sunday. There is a slight chance we could see some sprinkles early in the day Sunday. A zonal flow returns with westerly winds bringing disturbances to work through mid-Missouri, giving us limited rain chances. Small rain chances are possible for Christmas Eve and Christmas, but models are still having trouble coming into an agreement. As far as Christmas Day, it looks to be a mild one, with highs in the mid to upper 40s and overnight lows in the 30s. In the days following the holiday, we are looking a better chances of rain as an area of low pressure moves to the northwest of mid-Missouri. Light consistent rainfall by Wednesday and Thursday may create issues for holiday travel. Stick with ABC 17 News on air and online for the latest changes to tracks and forecasts.
