Tracking a warmer Wednesday with rain chances returning late week

TONIGHT: Partly cloudy and breezy with lows in the mid-40s.

TOMORROW: Windy and much warmer with highs in the mid-70s.

EXTENDED: Winds shift to the southwest as a warm front lifts north across the region tonight, keeping morning temperatures in the 40s. We'll warm back into the 70s tomorrow, but wind gusts could reach up to 30 mph, increasing the fire risk for southern Missouri where relative humidity will be lower. A front to our north will stall out, bringing rain chances to northern Missouri on Thursday, but most of Mid-Missouri stays dry during the day, with rain and storms possible late in the evening as the boundary begins to sink south. rain chances will be highest on Friday as the front moves across the area. over the weekend, this system meanders nearby, bringing chances for rain and a few storms, particularly on Sunday. Both days of the weekend are looking mild with highs in the upper 70s. Next week looks active to start with a strong low pressure system moving in from the Plains, with severe weather possible between Monday and Tuesday. Rain amounts over the next 7-days could total up to 1.5" to 2".