Tracking warmer temperatures, more sunshine for the weekend

TONIGHT: Decreasing clouds and cool with lows in the mid-upper 40s.

TOMORROW: Mostly sunny and beautiful with highs in the lower 70s.

EXTENDED: Rain has finally exited Mid-Missouri, and we'll balance out the above average rain this week with a major pattern shift starting by the end of the weekend. Winds look to stay northerly overnight, but as skies clear we'll drop into the upper 40s by tomorrow morning. Sunshine will be a nice change to start the weekend, and as winds wrap around low pressure to our east we'll see temperatures remain near normal tomorrow with highs in the low 70s. A warm front sliding in from the southwest on Sunday morning could trigger a spot shower or two early in the day along with a few clouds, but it's still a nice day to get outside as we approach 80 with winds picking up from the south. Upper level high pressure really begins to ramp up with a blocking pattern setting up next week. Low pressure to our east and west will lock us in a stagnant pattern all week, allowing temperatures to get about 17-19 degrees above average as highs soar into the upper 80s to low 90s each afternoon. As moisture increases across the region early in the week, dew points will climb into the upper 60s to around 70 in the afternoon, allowing the heat index to spike in the upper 90s Tuesday and Wednesday. Air mass or "pulse" isolated thunderstorms can't be ruled out with this kind of setup, but I'm not expecting any widespread rain or storm chances next week. By the weekend, we'll finally see the jet stream return to a more zonal or west to east flow, bringing temperatures back to near average and opening the door to rain chances.