NEXT WEATHERMAKER TO BRING RAIN & STORMS MIDWEEK

MARCH 1, 2025 -- After a quick taste of Spring on Friday, a cold front has ushered in another round of chilly air. Temperatures are 20-30 degrees colder this weekend than it was on Friday afternoon. The cool down is just a small blip in the grand scheme of things as above average temperatures will return soon enough.

The next big weather maker arrives by the middle of this week. A large upper-level storm system will track into western Missouri by Tuesday afternoon and evening. There will be a surge of warm, moist air moving north ahead of the system, likely peaking in Southern Illinois Tuesday afternoon. The amount of wind shear associated with this system is on the extreme side. Due to the wind shear alone, there will be a chance for a few strong storms with damaging winds. Thankfully, it appears instability might be on the lower side, limiting a bigger severe storm outbreak locally. Further south, across portions of Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, a more robust severe storm outbreak is possible.

On the back side of this system, slightly cooler air will move in, but the WINDS are expected to be very strong Tuesday and Wednesday, even away from thunderstorms. Gusts over 40 miles per hour are possible.

Rainfall amounts from this storm system will likely be around 1", adding additional water to the Lower Ohio River.

In the wake of the midweek storm system, temperatures will once again drop back slightly through the second half of the week. Morning temperatures in the 30s and afternoons in the 50s are expected Thursday and Friday.

Looking ahead to the second week of March, temperatures will once again warm back up. Ridging aloft will lead to above average temperatures returning by March 10th. A prolonged period of highs in the 60s, potentially even climbing into the 70s, are possible that week.