Strong storms tonight usher in fall-like air for the rest of the week
If you've been patiently awaiting fall-like temperatures to catch up with the calendar, we're finally getting a break from the heat after a cold front moves through tonight.
Temperatures across the mountain west and upper Plains have dipped into the 60s for highs on Monday, a sharp contrast of what we have seen the last several days across Mid-Missouri with temperatures flirting with 90 degrees.
A cold front will sweep across the state tonight, bringing the potential of measurable rain along with strong storms. Storms will form into a line along and ahead of the front, moving into counties along and west of Highway 65 before sunset. Storms progress east-southeast tonight, moving into Columbia and Jefferson City between 9:00 and 11:00 p.m.. Storms will lose severity as we lose daylight, but could still pack a punch, especially west of Highway 63 through late evening.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for counties west of Highway 63 until 10:00 p.m.
Some storms could become severe, with 1" hail and 50-60 mph winds possible. Rain amounts will range between 0.5" and 1".
Storms continue to track east overnight, leaving us dry across Mid-Missouri by 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Much cooler air spills into the region for the remainder of the week, with temperatures falling into the upper 50s overnight. Highs on Tuesday top out near 70 degrees as clouds try to filter out of the area.
The rest of the week will be gorgeous with highs in the low to mid-70s through Thursday, topping out near 80 by Friday. Lows at night will range from the upper 40s to low 50s with no rain in the forecast through the weekend.
