Tracking warm temperatures today, rain tomorrow

THIS AFTERNOON: Mostly sunny and warm, with highs climbing into the mid-60s areawide. Winds from the southwest will be steady at 5 to 10 mph, with gusts reaching 20 mph.

TONIGHT: Clouds fill in overnight, keeping temperatures very mild in the upper 40s and 50s.

EXTENDED: Rain arrives from the southwest by sunrise on Thursday, spreading north to I-70 before midmorning. A brief break is possible around the noon hour, then widespread showers and a few thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon. There is a limited potential for damaging winds and small hail from the strongest storms, but the severe risk is low in our area. Storms may linger near I-44 as they head east Thursday night, but rain will likely wrap up before Friday morning. Most of the area will see around a half inch of rain, but some isolated spots could pick up over an inch. Clouds linger on Friday, with much cooler temperatures in the 40s throughout the day. A secondary system will move through Friday night, possibly bringing a wintry mix of rain and snow overnight into Saturday. Temperatures at the ground will be near to above freezing, so likely not cold enough for heavy accumulations. The weekend will be much more seasonal in the 30s and 40s as sunshine returns Sunday.