Tracking near record highs on Friday, mild weekend ahead

TONIGHT: Mostly clear and mild with lows near 50.

TOMORROW: Mostly sunny and warm with highs near or just above 80 degrees.

EXTENDED: Tonight will be clearer, but we still remain mild with lows near 50 degrees. Tomorrow and Saturday will be about 25 degrees warmer than normal as highs get to the lower 80s. The record high tomorrow is 84, so we will be very close in some spots! Heading into the weekend, we could flirt with 85 with a southwest breeze, but the record is 92 in Columbia. On Sunday, we'll start off mild with temperatures in the 60s, but a cold front could end up giving us a temperature gradient across the area by afternoon. Points to the north could top out near 70, while locations near the Lake of the Ozarks and I-44 could get back to near 80 before the frontal passage. The front won't bring rain, but more clouds during the day and a sharp cool down by Monday morning. Lows fall into the 30s with highs only making the 50s. The cool down is short lived with the upper ridge to our west strengthening yet again, getting us back into the 60s Tuesday and 70s by Wednesday. I left the forecast dry for now, but some forecast guidance is hinting at rain chances along the edge of the ridge on Tuesday. Late in the week, another front could bring changes that would indicate a slight cool down by next weekend.