Spencer, IA — Winds will pick up a bit today (Wed), with gusts of 20 to 25 mph and a few spots seeing gusts near 30 mph. By this evening, winds will become light as an area of high pressure moves in. Some clouds may keep temperatures from dropping too much, but overnight lows will still cool into the mid to upper 40s by Thursday morning.

Thursday looks dry for most of the day with a mix of sun and clouds. Winds will turn from the southeast, helping bring in a little more moisture. By Thursday night, there is a slight chance for a few light showers, mainly south of Highway 18. Rain amounts are expected to be very light, with many locations receiving only a few hundredths of an inch. There is a very small chance of an isolated rumble of thunder. Any showers should end Friday morning, giving way to sunshine for the rest of the day. Highs Friday will warm into the mid to upper 70s, with a few lower 80s possible farther west.

Very warm weather continues into the weekend. Saturday looks especially warm and breezy, with highs reaching the 80s across much of the area. Winds could become gusty, and we’ll keep an eye on fire danger, though recent rains and greener vegetation should help limit concerns for now.

Looking ahead to early next week, the weather pattern becomes more active. Several storm systems are expected to move across the Plains, bringing periodic chances for rain from late Sunday night through Tuesday. It’s still uncertain exactly when the best rain chances will arrive, but scattered showers appear possible during that time. Right now, there is about a 15 to 25 percent chance of receiving more than a quarter inch of rainfall. Increased clouds and rain chances should also bring temperatures back closer to normal by Monday and especially Tuesday.