Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS St. Louis, MO
Issued by NWS St. Louis, MO
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925 FXUS63 KLSX 140435 AFDLSX Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Saint Louis MO 1035 PM CST Fri Feb 13 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... -Rain will start up Saturday morning and last into the overnight to early Sunday period for most. -A warming trend will kick off Sunday and last through at least mid week with highs 15-20 degrees above normal. && .SHORT TERM... (Through Late Saturday Night) Issued at 143 PM CST Fri Feb 13 2026 Weak high pressure will continue today and into this evening, allowing high temperatures today to peak near 60 degrees. Our next weather system is winding up on the lee side of the southern Rockies today and will progress eastward in step with a mid level trough just coming onshore over Baja. Rain will push into the forecast area late tonight/early Saturday morning, enhanced by the associated northward moving warm front. Most of the region is expected to receive at least some rain, though uncertainty is growing in how far north the beneficial rain will push. Hi-res ensembles and individual members have trended slightly southward with the latest runs, keeping portions of northeast Missouri and west-central Illinois from receiving widespread rainfall through the entire day. While guidance has been hinting for days at a rather sharp QPF gradient on the northern side of this system, confidence is growing that this may occur in our forecast area. Far northern portions of the CWA are not expected to see more than 0.25" of rain (30% chance of exceedance), while just south of the HWY 36/I-72 corridor, rainfall amounts increase rapidly with a 70% chance of more than 0.25". The highest confidence in widespread soaking rain is across southeast Missouri and southern Illinois where there is a 60% chance of exceeding 1" of rain. Localized amounts of up to 2" (via the 24 hr HREF LPMM) are possible where the warm front stalls over the CWA and lift is locally enhanced, most likely along and south of I-70. Despite the relatively high rainfall amounts, this rain is expected to fall over 10+ hours onto dry soil, keeping flooding concerns at a minimum. Temperatures on Saturday will be stunted due to the cloud cover and precipitation, resulting in highs peaking in the low 50s. Delia && .LONG TERM... (Sunday through Next Friday) Issued at 143 PM CST Fri Feb 13 2026 The system and associated rain will exit the region early Sunday. In its wake a mid-level ridge will build in over most of the CONUS while a surface high moves in at the surface. The mid-level ridge will persist through much of the work week, resulting in a warming trend is evident in the ensemble guidance. This includes the 850 mb temperatures, which are forecast to exceed the 99th percentile during this period. Temperatures will warm into the upper 50s to 60s area wide Sunday through Tuesday. West to southwesterly flow and deep mixing on Wednesday will help locally warm temperatures, adding a few more degrees to an already unseasonably warm week. Portions of southeast and east-central Missouri and far southwest Illinois have a 30-40% chance of exceeding 70F Wednesday afternoon. Elsewhere, highs have a 60-80% chance of exceeding 65F. At the same time a surface low will slide through the central CONUS, bringing a Pacific front through the mid-Mississippi Valley. Moisture will be limited both ahead of and behind this feature, resulting in a dry frontal passage. Another system will push through the region Thursday into Friday, and guidance indicates this system will be accompanied by a true cold front, starting a relative cooling trend that will last through next weekend. There is an increasing chance for precipitation with this system, though uncertainty is high in the quality of moisture return and the location of the system as it moves through, both of which will impact precipitation chances. Delia && .AVIATION... (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Saturday Night) Issued at 1029 PM CST Fri Feb 13 2026 Leading area of rain currently of southwest Missouri will move northeast reaching COU/JEF by 12Z and the St. Louis metro terminals by 16Z. I have higher confidence now that UIN will see rain, so have added a FM group with rain starting at 20Z. Ceilings and visibilities will initially be VFR, but will slowly decrease to MVFR, and then IFR or LIFR through the late morning and afternoon/evening. Light winds initially will turn out of the southeast during the morning before backing to the east/northeast by evening. Winds will stay 10 knots or less. Britt && .LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MO...None. IL...None. && $$ WFO LSX