St. Louis, Missouri – Scattered thunderstorms may bring locally heavy rain and damaging winds to parts of northeast Missouri and west-central Illinois by early Saturday, raising the risk of overnight travel hazards.
According to the National Weather Service in St. Louis, there’s a 20–30% chance of thunderstorms developing Friday afternoon through early Saturday morning. While most storms will be weak and short-lived, a few could strengthen enough to produce gusty winds and heavy downpours, especially between midnight and 6 a.m. Saturday.
The highest risk area includes Hannibal, Missouri, and Quincy, Illinois, where isolated wind damage and ponding on roads could impact early morning commuters. Rainfall could exceed one inch in localized spots. The storm window extends along U.S. Route 61 and I-72 corridors, which may see reduced visibility and slick pavement overnight.
Residents are urged to secure outdoor items, avoid overnight travel if possible, and monitor NOAA Weather Radio for updates. Power outages are unlikely but possible if stronger cells move through densely populated areas.
Storm activity is expected to taper off by mid-morning Saturday, but additional pop-up storms could redevelop later in the weekend.
