Tracking a hot weekend with storms tonight

THIS MORNING: Partly clouds with a chance for patchy fog. Lows near 70 degrees.

TODAY: Highs reach the low 90s with another chance for isolated afternoon storms. Heat index in the mid-upper 90s.

EXTENDED: Moisture continues to filter into Mid-Missouri as our upper-level pattern remains southwesterly, pushing in warmer air to the region. This air mass could produce some isolated showers or storms by late afternoon, but they'll diminish by evening as the sun goes down. The main show will come in the form of a line of storms ahead of the cold front late Friday night, with heavy downpours and gusty winds possible. The better environment for severe weather will stay to our northwest near the frontal boundary overnight. The boundary bisects the region on Saturday into Sunday, potentially bringing a chance for a storm Saturday evening and lowering dew points a bit for Sunday. Outside of that, the weekend is largely dry and hot with highs reaching around 90 degrees. An upper ridge begins to build over us next week, forcing any rain chances to our north and sending our temperatures into the mid-90s. With dew points in the low 70s, the heat index will likely be near or just above 100 degrees at least Monday into Tuesday. The ridge could slide back west by mid-late week, allowing a few disturbances to bring rain to the area.