WSIL -- A Flood Watch has been issued for the entire region in anticipation of heavy rain that could cause flooding overnight into Friday morning.
If you need to clean out gutters, culverts, or ditches, you'll have a chance to do so today ahead of the heavy rain.
It is a little chilly this morning with temperatures back in the mid 40s in parts of southern Illinois. A little sun is expected by this afternoon, which will help warm temperatures to around 60º.
Showers will begin to increase this by around sunset, mainly in southeast Missouri through the early evening. Rain will then start to move into southern Illinois and western Kentucky later into the night.
Rain will be quite heavy overnight, especially after midnight and into early Friday. Flooding is possible, especially in low-lying areas.
The severe storm threat in our region is low overnight and through Friday morning. However, a few isolated strong storms can't entirely be ruled out near the Missouri/Arkansas state line. As the low tracks north, a band of heavier showers and t-storms is expected around sunrise Friday morning. A few strong storms may also be embedded in that line.
In addition to the rain, very strong winds are forecasted on Friday. A Wind Advisory will go into effect Friday at 6 a.m. and run until 9 p.m.
Winds will be strongest during the daylight hours with gusts around 50 miles per hour possible. Combined with the extremely saturated soil, isolated power outages due to uprooted trees are possible.
Temperatures Friday morning will warm into the mid to upper 50s, but by mid to late afternoon, winds will turn to the northwest and temperatures will rapidly drop into the lower 40s.
This system will exit to the northeast Friday night, leading to a much quieter weekend with temperatures bounce back into the 60s by Sunday afternoon.
