Warm and dry weekend with a touch of rain early next week

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Heading into the weekend, the weather promises to be pleasant and consistent with no major changes in sight.

The forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and a steady rise in temperatures each day. Highs will reach the mid-70s on Saturday, making for a beautiful fall day with warmth more typical of early fall than late October. We will see even warmer conditions through Sunday, with temperatures rising into the upper 70s and possibly reaching the low 80s in some areas. This is a notable departure from the norm as temperatures are 10 to 15 degrees above average for this time of year. Normally we would expect highs in the low 60s at this point in October, but instead we are experiencing a brief extension of milder, almost summer-like conditions.

A persistent drought accompanies this unusually warm weather. No significant rain is expected over the weekend, so outdoor plans can continue undisturbed. Whether you want to enjoy the fall foliage, attend a soccer game, or relax outside, the weather will cooperate. However, the dry spell won't last forever. The next chance of precipitation will be late Monday night into early Tuesday, when a weak cold front is expected to move through the area. This front will potentially bring light and patchy rain, but the key word here is “light.” Any showers are expected to be short and isolated, making widespread or heavy rainfall unlikely.

As soon as the front passes, a change in the general weather pattern can be expected. Behind the front, cooler air is moving into the region, causing temperatures to drop back to more seasonal levels. By the middle of next week, highs will return to lows to the mid 60s, much closer to what we typically expect in late October. This cooling will serve as a reminder that despite the warm weekend ahead, we are actually moving deeper into fall.

In summary, this weekend brings a lovely stretch of above average temperatures and mostly sunny skies. Enjoy the warmth while it lasts, as the brief chance of rain early next week will bring more typical fall temperatures mid-week, returning us to the familiar October chill.