Tracking a mild Thursday before arctic air arrives on Friday morning

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy and cooler with lows in the upper teens to around 20.

TOMORROW: Mostly sunny and mild with highs near 40.

EXTENDED: Bitterly cold arctic air moves in from the north by Thursday night as high pressure slides in from the north. Friday morning will be brutally cold with wind chills between -5 and -10 degrees. Most of the day will feel like near or below zero with strong northerly winds. Snow showers begin to move in from the west/southwest late, with snow having to overcome some dry air at the onset. Snow showers will overtake the entire region before sunrise on Saturday, with perhaps some lightening in snow rates Saturday afternoon before another push of snow through Sunday morning. The snow to liquid ratio will be higher with this storm as the air will be extremely cold and dry. This will make for a powdery snow that is difficult to treat due to single digit air temperatures and lowered visibility. Snow showers look to come to an end from west to east by Sunday afternoon. Amounts will range from 1-3" along Highway 24, 3-6" along I-70 to the Missouri River, then 6"+ for the Lake Area to Rolla and south. Wind chills will be coldest on Saturday, with morning feels like temperatures between -15 and -20 degrees. Overnight lows fall to near zero Monday due to snow cover.