UPDATED at 4:05 PM

Tonight:  Cloudy with light rain/drizzle. Low: 39-41. Wind: NW 10-15 mph.

Friday: Cloudy with a 40% chance of showers. High: 47-51. Wind: NW 10-15 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Low: 37-40. Wind: NW 5-10 mph.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. High: upper 50s

Sunday: Partly cloudy. High: upper 60s.

Monday: Mostly cloudy with a 30% chance of showers. High: upper 60s.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers. High: upper 60s.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers. High: upper 60s.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers. High: upper 60s.

The well advertised wet, cold and windy day is here. The low pressure center is located over Minnesota and Wisconsin. The low is forecast to track a bit farther south and then turn east. The result will be more of the same except for the wind here in Iowa. It will be lighter but, still about 10-15 mph from the northwest. Nothing like the winds gusting to 65 mph in the Dakotas and Nebraska associated with this low. The visible satellite shows how widespread the clouds are associated with the low.

The area of low pressure is forecast to be over Lake Michigan tomorrow afternoon. Here is the forecast map for 1pm Friday.

The light rain and drizzle will continue tonight and through most of Friday. The rain will taper off during the evening. Rain amounts will be light from Thursday evening to Friday evening.

The rain reports in the last 24 hours have been a little heavier across the southern half of Iowa. Here are the reports.

The weekend will be dry and warmer. Sunday will be the warmer of the two with highs in the upper 60s. High pressure will also provide a light south wind.

Next week the weather will be a bit unsettled. There will be various fronts across the area and that will keep the chance of showers at 20-30% for each day. As the days get closer we will have a better handle on timing of the rain for the day. The good news is that the temperatures are forecast to be above normal with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the 50s. So rain chances each day but at least it will be warmer than today.

High School Football Forecast (Friday Evening)
Cloudy with light rain/drizzle ending
Kickoff temp: 46
Wind: NW 10-15 mphCollege Football Forecast (Saturday)

Penn State vs. Iowa (Iowa City)
Partly cloudy
Kickoff Temp: mid 50s
Wind: SW 5-10 mph

South Dakota State vs. UNI (Cedar Falls)
Partly cloudy
Kickoff Temp: upper 50s
Wind: SW 5-10 mph

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State (Stillwater, OK)
Mostly Sunny
Kickoff Temp: mid-upper 70s
Wind: SW 5-10 mph

Posted under Forecast Discussion, Sports