Tracking a mild end to the week, colder and wetter weekend

THIS AFTERNOON: Partly cloudy and mild, with highs in the mid-50s. Winds will be calm from the northeast at 5 to 10 mph.

TONIGHT: A quick round of rain is expected overnight, beginning by 9 to 10 PM and ending before sunrise tomorrow. Trace amounts are expected for most of the area. Lows fall to the mid-30s.

EXTENDED: Sunny skies return on Thursday, with mild temperatures in the mid to upper 50s. Winds will ramp up from the southwest on Friday, gusting up to 25 mph, and warming highs into the upper 60s to near 70 degrees to end the workweek. Saturday will still be warm, reaching well into the 60s, but a potent cold front will arrive sometime late Saturday into Sunday, bringing much colder temperatures and the potential for wintry precipitation on Sunday and Monday. Several precipitation types are possible over Mid-MO, ranging from snow in northern Missouri to rain down south, with a slim corridor of icy precipitation possible in between. Much of the forecast remains uncertain, but begin preparing for possible winter weather early next week.