Insider Blog

Fall colors are behind schedule this year and may not be as brilliant as in the past, thanks to a warming and changing climate. This year was a good example of how different fall looks and feels as summer heat stretches longer and the fall cooldown hits more abruptly later in the season. Temperatures have

It’s that time of the year when cooler mornings arrive, and overnight frosts/freezes become more likely. The first frost in Central Missouri is slightly behind schedule, though, as areas like Columbia typically experience this event by October 20th. Areas to the north, like Macon and Moberly, usually experience their first frost even earlier in the

This past weekend, you may have noticed fog reducing your visibility as you drove to your destination. Fog can occur due to many reasons, and can have a big impact on commutes on a daily basis. Simply put, fog is tiny visible water droplets in the atmosphere that can often be thought of as a

The spring season is known for the activity it brings, including thunderstorms and severe weather. It has been deemed the main severe weather season, but, of course, it is not the only time of year when severe weather can occur. Although it is not as active, the fall season serves as a secondary severe weather

As we head deeper into October, some of the usual hallmarks of fall are missing so far this season. Mid-Missourians have been sipping pumpkin spice and heading to pumpkin patches while temperatures remain above average and summer-like. Warmer fall days have staved off any chances of seeing frost yet, and we’re about to be behind

The calendar says fall, but the thermostat says otherwise. Temperatures in early October have been near 90 degrees weeks after the end of summer, driving an increase in demand for cooling. This growing need for cooling has been seen for decades. In Columbia, the number of cooling degree days has increased by almost 20% in

If you turned on your car this morning, you may have noticed a low tire pressure warning pop up on your dashboard. Don’t worry, because this sudden change in tire pressure could just be due to the colder air that was seen this morning. Temperatures were measured in the mid 40s this morning, which is

Drought is a year-round concern, but how it’s tracked and analyzed changes with the seasons. In the warmer months, in the spring through early fall, scientists focus on soil moisture and rainfall patterns to determine drought. These indicators help assess how much water is available for crops and vegetation during the growing season. When rainfall

As high pressure dominated the forecast for the majority of September, it led to a dry and warm start to the fall, compared to the same month in previous years. The daily high temperatures measured through September resulted in an average temperature of 84 degrees for the entire month. Comparing this to the normal average

The Atlantic has been busy over the weekend, as Hurricane Humberto was deemed a major hurricane on September 26th once it reached category 3 strength by the afternoon hours. The next day, September 27th, it rapidly strengthened to a category 5 hurricane. This storm was producing sustained winds up to 160 mph. As of today,

Homecoming came early this year, so fans will probably need fewer layers at Faurot for Saturday’s game. Mizzou faces UMass this weekend for its 114th homecoming, which will be held a bit earlier than usual. Traditionally, homecoming happens in October or sometimes November, when fall “football weather” has taken hold and temperatures are cooler. This

Drought has spread rapidly across Missouri in recent months, now covering over half of the state as fall gets underway. It was a much different picture just two months ago, when the region was fully drought-free for the first time in years in late July. Then came a record-dry August and a drier-than-normal September, which

Changes in tree colors and leaves starting to fall have already been noticed in much of the state, but this is much earlier than the seasonal average. Over the past 20-30 years, the seasonal average for the peak of fall foliage in the state of Missouri is mid- to late October. There are still a

Although rainfall over the past couple of days in Missouri has aided slightly in lessening dry conditions in the state, drought is still persisting through the majority of the area. As of September 18th, when the last drought monitor was released, areas to the south of I-70 are seeing the most impacts. A moderate drought

The weather has been fairly quiet in recent weeks, coming out of a record-dry August. But Thursday night’s storms served as a reminder of the potential for severe weather in the fall. Stronger storms were anticipated during the day on Thursday, but this potential would increase as the forecast got closer. The Storm Prediction Center

Running into a pop-up thunderstorm that seemingly comes out of nowhere and rapidly falls apart after passing is not uncommon during the hot summer months. Over the past couple of days, these types of thunderstorms have been present in Central Missouri. Although they haven’t been severe, they can still impact your afternoon. These are known

Saturday’s football game against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns has been moved earlier to combat the summer-like heat this weekend. Mizzou Athletics announced the change on Thursday, saying, “Due to forecasted extreme heat in Columbia, and after consultation with the National Weather Service and our public safety partners, Mizzou Athletics has adjusted the start time for

Meteorological fall officially began on September 1st, but the summer heat may stick around. This past summer, from June 1st to August 31st, experienced near-average temperatures and rainfall in Columbia. The average high was slightly cooler than normal at 85.7 degrees, 1.2 degrees below average. Those cooler temperatures may be linked to above-average rainfall, with

Although spring is far away, many across the Mid-Missouri region may be having issues with allergies. High to very high levels of pollen continue to cause issues as we enter mid-September. Ragweed remains the highest level of allergen currently thanks to its seasonal return. Drier conditions continue to provide no relief as rain can largely