Tracking a gusty and warm Thursday

TODAY: Thursday is windy and warm. A chance for some shower activity before 9 am is possible north of I-70, but largely, today is dry, with mostly sunny skies late this morning through the afternoon. Expect winds from the south to gust as high as 45 mph at times, driving temperatures into the upper 60s and low 70s.

TONIGHT: Temperatures stay warm, in the mid 40s overnight, with winds from the south continuing.

EXTENDED: Friday is sunny, with continued south winds, putting highs back in the upper 60s. A cold front arrives Friday night, to bring a few light showers overnight, and cool us into the 40s for highs on Saturday. On Sunday, highs cool into the low 40s, with rain showers returning late in the day near the Lake of the Ozarks and I-44. Rain is expected to be light, and possibly mix with a few snow flakes late Sunday into the Monday morning hours. Placement of this system is highly uncertain, but persistently, the trend has been for precipitation to fall south of Columbia and Jefferson City. Precipitation type is largely uncertain as well, as temperatures are borderline. What is likely, is that if snow does fall, impacts should be limited by warm air and ground temperatures, unless things change drastically in the forecast. Highs on Monday will rebound into the 40s, with mid-to-upper 40s expected into midweek, if not 50s by Wednesday.