164 FXUS63 KLSX 060905 AFDLSXArea Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Saint Louis MO 405 AM CDT Sat Sep 6 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Some patchy fog is possible in northeast and central Missouri early this morning, but is not likely to be widespread.
- Light rain will end near sunrise, and dry conditions are likely to follow for most, if not all of the next week.
- After mild and pleasant conditions this weekend, above normal temperatures are expected Wednesday onward, though not likely hot or humid enough to cause noteworthy impacts.
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.SHORT TERM... (Through Late Sunday Afternoon) Issued at 204 AM CDT Sat Sep 6 2025
In the immediate term, the primary forecast concern continues to be the continuation of very light rain across parts of southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois, followed by perhaps a brief window for patchy fog in a few places across central and northeast Missouri by sunrise. However, neither of these is expected to be particularly impactful.
As of 1:30 am, some very light rain continues to be observed across southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois. While radar returns have been persistent in this area, rainfall rates remain very light, with total amounts of only a few hundredths of an inch over the last 24 hours. While this rain has battled dry low level air all day, just enough rain has managed to make it to the surface to wet the ground in a few spots, and this may persist for another few hours before diminishing near sunrise. From there onward, dry conditions are expected to prevail for at least the next week in most areas.
Meanwhile, satellite imagery reveals that clouds are clearing abruptly across northeast and central Missouri, with temperatures dropping quickly as the clouds dissipate. This may allow for some patchy fog to develop before sunrise, although none has thus far been observed in these areas. At this point, the window for fog development appears to be shrinking, particularly in central Missouri where clouds and a 10 degree dewpoint depression persist. Still, given the timing of the cloud shield, there is still just enough time to squeak out an hour or two of fog in a few spots near sunrise. We don`t expect this to be widespread, but you may see a few areas of reduced visibility if you are out and about in these areas early this morning.
For the remainder of the weekend, surface high pressure will settle into the area behind the advancing cold front, although we may hold onto a firmer pressure gradient today that cold produce some modest westerly breezes this afternoon. However, the main story will be that of comfortable temperatures in the 70s both today and tomorrow, with low humidity and mostly clear skies. Given the expected pattern and narrow ensemble temperature spreads, confidence is quite high that this weekend will feature very pleasant weather with little in the way of hazards, aside from perhaps some patchy morning steam fog along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
BRC
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.LONG TERM... (Sunday Night through Friday) Issued at 204 AM CDT Sat Sep 6 2025
Behind today`s cold front, a large surface high will steadily build into the region and remain in the area through the weekend and into early next week. This will lead to a rather non-descript period featuring mild temperatures and minimal chances for precipitation. From Saturday through Monday, confidence is quite high that we will see afternoon temperatures topping out in the mid 70s to near 80 degrees, with a slight upward turn as early as Monday. This is roughly 5 to 10 degrees below seasonal averages for early September, and these comfortable temperatures will also be accompanied by low humidity. In other words, it should be a great weekend to head outside.
Over the course of the work week, mid and long range ensemble guidance continues to project that an upper level ridge will steadily build and southerly flow will resume across the central Plains. Both of these factors will almost certainly lead to a steady warming trend across our area, in spite of the fact that the the axis of the upper ridge will likely remain to our west throughout the forecast period. While confidence is high that a warming trend is on the way, there remains some uncertainty regarding both how quickly we will warm up and the upper-end potential, primarily due to continued variance in the upper flow pattern evolution among ensemble members. In spite of this, NBM guidance suggests that there is a greater than 50% chance that we will climb back above normal (roughly 85 degrees) by Wednesday, increasing to 70+% by the end of the work week, and maximum temperature forecast spreads have shrunk to 5 degrees or less throughout this period.
Meanwhile, precipitation chances remain rather low throughout the extended period. We do see a very slight increase in precipitation- producing members late Tuesday through the end of the week as more moisture-rich southerly flow inches eastward, but these solutions remain firmly in the minority. As such, our extended stretch of mostly dry weather appears much more likely than not to continue for the next week.
BRC
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.AVIATION... (For the 12z TAFs through 12z Sunday Morning) Issued at 400 AM CDT Sat Sep 6 2025
The primary concern during the 12Z period is the potential for some brief fog at the start of the period, primarily at JEF/COU but also potentially at SUS. Cloud cover has kept temperatures a bit too warm thus far, but skies are clearing in central Missouri and temperatures are beginning to drop. As such, it remains possible that a brief period of fog will occur near sunrise, but as of 9Z all fog observations have remained well west of the terminal and the window for impactful fog is shrinking. If fog does develop, brief visibility reductions will be possible. Otherwise, occasionally breezy west winds will be possible this afternoon, but clear skies and VFR conditions are expected for the most part. Some steam fog will be possible again near the end of the period at JEF/SUS/CPS, but confidence is too low to include this in the TAF just yet.
BRC
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.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...None. IL...None. &&
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