The St. Louis area is bracing for a smattering of disruptive weather, with scattered showers and thunderstorms predicted to dampen the region starting this afternoon. According to the National Weather Service, there's a 50% chance of precipitation today with moments of cloud cover and high temperatures climbing near the 87-degree mark. An update issued early this morning highlights the calm wind becoming north around 6 mph as the day progresses.
As the evening approaches, the chance for rain decreases slightly to 30%, with thunderstorms mainly expected before 10 p.m. Residents looking to enjoy a cooler evening may be marginally disappointed, with the mercury only expected to dip to around 72 degrees under mostly cloudy skies. An east wind around 5 mph is set to eventually quieten down, lending a temporary calm before another bout of storms.
Friday isn't looking to let up, promising a 60% likelihood of showers and thunderstorms both before and after the 1 p.m. hour. The forecast points to a mostly cloudy day ahead with highs flirting with the 89-degree line. Light and variable winds will take a southeast turn, coming in around 6 mph in the morning. The pattern of evening storms persists into Friday night with a 30% chance of rain, mainly before the witching hour, and lows steadying at about 75 degrees.
For those making plans for the weekend, it might be wise to carry an umbrella. Saturday offers a 40% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms despite the deceiving mostly sunny skies and a high near an oppressive 94 degrees. As the NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook suggests, these thunderstorms are not just a fleeting threat but a persistent one, with daily occurrences expected to last through Monday. "Periods of thunderstorms continue through this evening. Locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible," the outlook warns.
Looking into the next week, St. Louis residents can anticipate a continuation of the summer heatwave, with temperature forecasts rising nearly to blistering triple digits. Sunny and hot conditions are set to dominate, reaching a high near 100 degrees by Wednesday. For those wearing layers or hoping for relief, the nights will offer little respite, as lows are predicted to hover around 79 degrees. In the meantime, as residents prepare to navigate the upcoming storms, the NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook reminds the community that "spotter activation is not expected at this time."
