Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS St. Louis, MO
Issued by NWS St. Louis, MO
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501 FXUS63 KLSX 031713 AFDLSX Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Saint Louis MO 1113 AM CST Wed Dec 3 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Up to a dusting of light snow is possible (40-60%) this afternoon and evening along I-70 and I-64. - Well below average temperatures are expected tonight and Thursday night, with near daily record lows at Quincy. - Another round of light wintry precipitation is possible (20-40%) late in the weekend. && .SHORT TERM... (Through Late Tonight) Issued at 335 AM CST Wed Dec 3 2025 Temperatures have dropped into the teens and the 20s early this morning as most of the area is experiencing strong radiational cooling over the snowpack. Parts of the southern and eastern CWA are seeing low clouds holding on or expanding in recent hours with some fog over the far southern CWA. Couldn`t rule out some patchy freezing fog in the far southern CWA early this morning. Regional radars are showing a stripe of returns that the CAMS have moving into the northern CWA by 12Z. Can`t rule out that there wouldn`t be flurries or light snow over northeast Missouri with this so will maintain 20 PoPs. The better chance for precipitation will be with the mid level frontogenesis that will develop this afternoon and this evening. The NAM/GFS is showing the placement of the band closer to the I-70 corridor which is farther south than it was forecast to be this time yesterday. The HREF is still supporting 40-60% PoPs along and behind the front as it move southeast through the CWA this afternoon and this evening. Even with the cold start, temperatures over the central CWA will be able to climb up into the upper 30s allowing for some rain to mix with the snow before it changes to all snow. The band of snow will shift off to the south of I-70 this evening and eventually dissipate as the upper trough moves off to the east. QPF totals are still expected to be very light with this narrow band (<0.05"), so still expect most areas to see just a dusting of snow. However, the HREF LPMM is still showing spotty 1" amounts indicating that there could be some locally higher amounts. Temperatures tonight are forecast to drop into the single digits and teens tonight. The low tonight at Quincy will be close to the daily record low of +2F set back in 2006. Britt && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 335 AM CST Wed Dec 3 2025 It will be dry, but colder behind the front on Thursday with highs in the teens and 20s. Low temperatures will drop back into the teens and single digits again on Thursday night with the coldest readings across northeast Missouri into west central Illinois. Here again, the daily record low at Quincy on Thursday night of +6F set back in 2005 is jeopardy. There will be several additional chances for precipitation from late this week into early next as the LREF continues to show low- amplitude northwesterly flow across the region through the period. The first chance (20%) will be on Thursday night where southeastern Missouri will be on the northern periphery of system resulting is a slight chance (20%) of a wintry mix. There will then be a break through early in the weekend before the LREF is showing a deeper trough in all of its clusters by late in the weekend. Here again, the NBM`s current 20% PoPs on Sunday-Sunday night are likely washed out by timing/strength differences by the individual members this far out since the LREF 24 hour PoPs are closer to 60%. We will have to watch for the potential for wintry mix with this system. The LREF is showing additional chances with weak shortwave troughs into early next week. Britt && .AVIATION... (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Thursday Afternoon) Issued at 1108 AM CST Wed Dec 3 2025 With stratus clearing out of the St. Louis metro terminals late this morning, VFR flight conditions will continue until the approaching cold front moves into the area. The cold front will bring a wind shift to the northwest and snow to the region as it moves through the terminals this afternoon and evening. Snowfall will be light, and is most likely to occur at the St. Louis metro terminals. IFR ceilings and visibility reduction are expected as the snow moves through. Visibility will improve once snowfall ceases, though lowered ceilings are expected to linger a few hours behind as dry air works into the area. VFR conditions will prevail behind this system for the remainder of the period. Delia && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...None. IL...None. && $$ WFO LSX