[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idg_BDV2TDY&hl=en&fs=1]

WARM TODAY: A cool start to the morning will lead to a warm afternoon with mostly sunny skies. A few fair weather clouds are likely later today, but it shouldn’t dampen the late April readings in the 60s to lower 70s across the state today.

DRYING OUT: Outside of a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Saturday, there looks to be a number of days of dry weather for farmers to get out and begin planting their crops. Fields do remain wet in some areas, but the next few days should be good for drying out. Rain amounts on Saturday will remain light with a quarter to half inch likely across the state with isolated heavier further to the north and NW and lighter amounts to the south.

FLOODING: River flooding continues across the state on some rivers. The Mississippi River continues its slow fall across a large portion of the border. The amount of rain that is forecast through the middle of next week will keep the rivers from rising, and the rate of fall should begin to increase again.