Tracking a chance for potent afternoon storms but a lot of dry time for many
TODAY: Friday is an ABC17 Stormtrack Weather Alert Day. For the latest details read our Weather Alert Day Blog. Overall, most of the region is expected to stay sunny and dry, however, a warm front will bring instability into the southeastern quadrant of the viewing area. This will increase warmth and humidity for places like Hermann, Linn, Owensville, Vienna, St. Thomas, Waynesville, and Rolla. These communities and their neighbors will have a chance for thunderstorms as a cold front moves in this afternoon. There is still a notable chance that storms fail to develop in mid-Missouri. This is the best case scenario. We have issued a Weather Alert Day, however, because any storms that develop will intensify quickly, and have no trouble producing very large hail, damaging winds, and possibly a tornado. The good news, is the window for this threat is short lived; storms may develop as soon as 1 p.m. and the cold front should clear the storm chance by 4-5 p.m. High temperatures will range from low to high 80s from northwest to southeast respectively thanks to the front. Rainfall could locally change that. Outside of storms, a southwest wind will make for another breezy afternoon. Winds will be sustained around 10-20 mph and gust to 30+ mph ahead of the cold front.
TONIGHT: Overnight, skies will clear, and temperatures will fall with a westerly breeze. Lows are likely recorded in the low-to-mid 50s.
EXTENDED: Saturday will be sunny and cool. Expect highs in the 70s. We may be stuck in the 70s on Sunday as well, but the current forecast is for highs to just clip 80 by the afternoon. This is as a warm front moves into the region, bringing a chance for rain and thunderstorms by the afternoon. A chance for strong storms may be possible Sunday night into Monday, and again on Monday afternoon as we track another area of low pressure moving through the region. This will bring highs again in the 80s. This and more humidity will help to drive a severe thunderstorm chance. Tuesday remains a question, with data suggesting the low is still nearby, but it may be progressive enough to take a severe threat east of us. Either way, we'll have rain chances Tuesday before drier and cooler air arrives on Wednesday. Highs are currently forecast in the upper 60s on Wednesday under mostly sunny skies.
