textproduct: Springfield

KEY MESSAGES

- Highs in the 80s Friday into this weekend. These warm temperatures will challenge record highs.

- Elevated fire weather concerns Sunday.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/

Issued at 315 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

Warming temperatures: - Impacts: None - Details: Highs climbing into the 80s Friday and Saturday. - Confidence: High. NBM 25th-75th percentile spreads are generally < 5 degrees, showing agreement among models. - Meteorological Analysis: As the upper level pattern shifts east, the amplified ridge over the western CONUS will push into the area while flattening out. This will cause a much warmer airmass to push in from the west. Resulting high temperatures may near record levels Thursday and Friday, but the greatest likelihoods for breaking records will be on Saturday and Sunday. See climate section below.

LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 315 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

Elevated fire weather concerns Sunday: - Impacts: Elevated fire danger, especially west of Highway 65. - Details: Near record highs in the 80s starting Friday will persist into Sunday. MinRH values on Sunday are expected to be in the 25-35% range, if not a little lower, with several days of similar dryness preceding. Gusty winds are expected Sunday behind a dry cold front. - Confidence: Medium. Ensemble probabilities for sustained winds > 20 mph are 30-50% along/west of Highway 65. Forecast minRH values of 25-35% and dry fuels due to multiple prior dry days are expected. - Meteorological Analysis: The abnormally warm pattern will be disrupted by a dry cold front Sunday, but record highs are still possibly at almost all sites on Sunday, depending on frontal timing. Confidence in exact temperatures is lower Sunday given greater ensemble spread with that frontal timing difference. Monday will be cooler with highs in the 50s and 60s, but temperatures rebound back into the 60s Tuesday and possibly 70s by next Wednesday. No rain is forecast over the next 7 days.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 522 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

VFR conditions are expected across the area this evening through the day on Thursday. Light winds will occur this evening and will become southerly overnight then southwesterly on Thursday. Westerly winds will be possible by Thursday evening. Mid and high level clouds will move across the region this evening into Thursday morning, with skies clearing by Thursday afternoon.

CLIMATE

Issued at 315 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

Record High Temperatures:

March 19: KUNO: 81/2009

March 20: KVIH: 83/2017

March 21: KSGF: 88/1916 KJLN: 91/1907 KVIH: 85/1904 KUNO: 85/1997

March 22: KSGF: 88/1907 KVIH: 78/1904 KUNO: 81/2011

SGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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