St. Louis is in for a warm, mostly sunny Friday with a high near 92°F, heat index values flirting with 101, and a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms mainly along and east of the Mississippi River. If you’re planning anything outdoors — a walk through Forest Park, a cast along the river, or errands near the Gateway Arch grounds — get it done before late morning, because storm chances build from late morning into the afternoon.
Today’s Setup
Overnight lows held near 74°F, and the patchy river-valley fog left over from Thursday’s rain is clearing out by sunrise, according to the National Weather Service St. Louis office. Today brings mostly sunny skies early, west wind around 2 to 7 mph, and roughly a 30% chance of showers and storms developing mainly east of the Mississippi River from late morning through the afternoon. Forecasters note a weak capping inversion, so a stray shower or storm is possible even well west of downtown.
Best Window To Be Outside
Instability is building (1,500 to 2,500 J/kg of MLCAPE), but wind shear stays under 10 knots, which the NWS says should keep the severe threat limited to mainly gusty winds rather than widespread damage. Your best window for mowing, fishing, or golf is the morning through roughly 11 AM CT, before the atmosphere destabilizes. Anglers heading to Creve Coeur Lake or the Mississippi should get lines in early — Strike King Crankbaits from $6 at Bass Pro Shops is worth a look before you head out, and our outdoor gear deals roundup has more picks. Golfers near Forest Park should aim for a sunrise tee time too.
Storm & Heat Risk
Today’s storms should be more scattered than Thursday’s, though slow storm motion means locally heavy downpours can’t be ruled out. No severe weather watches or excessive rainfall risk are in effect for the St. Louis area right now. The bigger story is heat: with heat index values near 100-101°F today and again Saturday (high near 95°F), keep a Stanley tumbler 40oz of ice water handy outside, and a ceiling fan smart remote helps keep bedrooms comfortable through muggy overnight lows in the mid-70s.
What To Wear Or Bring
Light, breathable clothing and sun protection for the morning hours; keep a rain layer handy if you’re out past late morning. A weakening cold front moves through Saturday evening into overnight, so Saturday afternoon is your safer outdoor window before it arrives.
Weekend Games, Concerts & What’s Next
Plenty on tap around town: Lewis Black Live plays River City Casino & Hotel tonight, and Hairball rocks Capital Region Amphitheater. Saturday brings Jim Gaffigan to River City Casino, and Sunday, July 19, The Black Keys: PEACHES ‘N KREAM hits The Factory — Find tickets on StubHub. Looking ahead, Usher Raymond & Chris Brown bring The R&B Tour to The Dome at America’s Center on July 21 (grab a Usher Raymond & Chris Brown t-shirt before the show, Get tickets on SeatGeek), and the St. Louis Cardinals host the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium on July 23 — pick up Official team gear on Fanatics ahead of first pitch.
With grill-friendly weather sticking around, tonight’s a good night to cook outside — burgers, steaks, or grilled chicken with corn on the cob all work well before any evening storms roll through. An instant-read meat thermometer and grill brush and scraper set make dinner easy. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next few days: Expect seasonably warm, humid conditions with daily shower and storm chances continuing through Tuesday, per the National Weather Service, with afternoon heat index values around 100°F in the warmest spots. Saturday’s high near 95°F is the hottest of the stretch before Saturday evening’s cold front knocks temperatures back slightly for Sunday.
