Missouri starts the day under a gray, damp sky as a steady southeast breeze pushes thin rain across the Ozarks. Pavement glistens before sunrise, and early commuters can already feel the thicker November air that signals more active weather through the weekend as Thanksgiving travel ramps up.
According to the National Weather Service in Springfield, widespread moderate to heavy rain will expand across the region from today through Friday. Some storms could produce small hail, and lightning risks remain elevated. Localized flooding may develop in low-lying pockets, especially where multiple rounds of rain track over the same areas. Travelers heading toward I-44, Route 60, or the Branson corridor should allow extra time, particularly during the midday and late-afternoon windows.
Rain chances stay high into Saturday morning before slowly easing. Roads may stay slick as cooler, drier air begins to move in later Saturday, giving the region a brief late-fall reset. While temperatures remain mild for now, models hint at a more pronounced Thanksgiving cooldown that could open the door to early-winter mischief next week. To be fair, no confirmed snow signal exists yet for Springfield, but national guidance shows a growing possibility for heavy snow in parts of the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast between November 25 and early December.
That broader pattern can still influence the Ozarks by sending colder air southward during the holiday week. Residents should watch for sharper temperature dips, breezy afternoons, and a few stronger rain pushes. For those decorating early or traveling this weekend, expect damp conditions but improving skies from late Saturday into Sunday.
Five-Day Outlook (Thursday Through Monday)
• Today: Rain and storms likely, highs in the low 60s.
• Friday: Heavy rain risk, highs in the low 70s.
• Saturday: Clearing trend, highs near 49.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, highs near 62.
• Monday: Mostly cloudy, scattered showers, highs in the upper 40s.
