textproduct: Kansas City/Pleasant Hill

KEY MESSAGES

- 15-20% chance for light rain/drizzle across northern MO this morning with low clouds building in throughout the day.

- Increasing chance for overnight lows at or below freezing Friday night into Saturday morning

- Warm and dry conditions return by late this weekend into early next week.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 325 AM CST Thu Nov 5 2026

Current 500 mb analysis shows that the upper level low has progressed slightly to the NE into Wisconsin, while the next mid/upper level low has moved further east into SE Colorado. At the surface, the closed low over the Great Lakes has also shifted slightly to the NE into southern Ontario, allowing for clouds to clear out for most of MO. However, clear skies will be short lived as the 500 mb low over SE Colorado moves into the Southern Plains and a positively tilted upper level trough and surface cold front form across MO. The front will support lift along and behind the boundary and increasing moisture in the vertical profile will allow low level clouds to encompass the region by this afternoon with a slight chance (15-20%) of light rain/drizzle across northern MO this morning. The pressure gradient at the surface will be weak during the day Thursday so while the cold front will bring more northerly flow, it will be weak, making it more difficult to dry out near the surface, keeping clouds around into Friday morning and keeping overnight lows in the low 40s.

By Friday, a large amplitude upper-level ridge will be situated over the central US while high pressure builds in from the Upper Midwest at the surface, supporting sustained northerly flow and strong CAA across the CWA. Models continue to trend colder for Friday night into Saturday and show a very favorable setup for dropping below freezing. Models solidly place a surface high over MO by Saturday morning with dewpoints in the low 30s indicating a dry airmass over us that would support ideal radiational cooling. Therefore the current forecast has lows in the upper 20s for north/central MO and low 30s for more urban areas. Low temperatures in addition to light winds would favor frost/freeze conditions. Based on collaboration with neighboring offices and the warm fall that we have had, we will likely issue a freeze warning for areas below 32 degrees and a frost advisory for the remaining areas as we continue to monitor forecast trends.

By this weekend, a weak 500 mb over the SW CONUS will shift east towards the Gulf and continue to weaken as a low amplitude ridge settles across the northern half of the CONUS. This will keep conditions dry for early next week as highs increase back into the 60s.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 1130 AM CST Thu Nov 5 2026

Tricky ceilings for TAF sites this afternoon. MVFR CIGs have been slow to fill in at downtown terminals, likely due to a persistent layer of dry air preventing clouds from filling in over these sites. So, have delayed the arrival of MVFR at downtown terminals to between 19-22z. Guidance has trended increasingly negative for the persistence of MVFR CIGs through at least tomorrow morning/afternoon around 14-17z, but was not confident enough to lift entirely to MVFR by the end of the forecast period, so left it at high end MVFR across the board. Overnight, anticipating isolated instances of drizzle, but not expecting any aviation impacts with this activity.

EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

MO...None. KS...None.