Tracking a warm and mostly dry day before a rainy Thursday

TODAY: Showers are present early this morning, but most are expected to remain dry, and any light showers that are present are expected to clear the region by 9 a.m. The best rain chances through the morning will be north of HWY 24. Mostly cloudy skies remain through the day, with the best shot at broken skies being south of HWY 50 this afternoon. Highs are expected in the upper 80s amid a south breeze around 10 mph.

TONIGHT: Temperatures remain warm overnight, as clouds remain. Rain chances are low until after midnight, but rain likely returns in the west near HWY 65 by sunrise, especially north of I-70.

EXTENDED: Rain slowly works from northwest to southeast through the day on Thursday. This will make for a wetter morning northwest of Columbia, and a drier one southeast of Jefferson City. Rain may arrive in Columbia and Jefferson City by 7-9 a.m. and persist through the day. The heaviest rain will likely come in the afternoon and evening, and may be accompanied by thunder and lightning. Friday starts wet, but showers will be clearing with time, leaving us with good chances of dry time by Friday evening. Friday is a bit cooler, with highs near 70. More sunshine returns Saturday and Sunday, making for a pleasant weekend with highs near 70.