St. Louis is enjoying a mostly sunny, comfortably dry Thursday with a high near 82°F and light east wind around 6 mph — a great day to get outside before wetter weather moves in tomorrow night.
Today’s Setup
The National Weather Service says low-level easterly flow is advecting dry air across the region today, keeping humidity down and skies mostly sunny. It’s the kind of July day St. Louis doesn’t get often — highs topping out near 82°F with only a 2% chance of rain. Tonight stays quiet too, mostly cloudy with a low around 66°F.
Best Window To Be Outside
With light wind and low humidity, today is a rare gift for anyone golfing, gardening, or just walking Forest Park or the Gateway Arch grounds. Golfers should take advantage before the pattern turns — a golf GPS watch makes it easy to play a quick 18 in these conditions. It’s also a good day to mow if you’ve been putting it off.
Rain Risk Builds Friday Night
According to the NWS, showers and thunderstorms return after midnight tonight as a shortwave trough and a broad low-level jet bring increased lift across the area. Friday’s chance sits at 38%, but it jumps to 71% Friday night with showers and storms likely. Forecasters note precipitable water values near 2 inches — above the 90th percentile for late July — combined with warm cloud depths that favor locally heavy rainfall. Timing on when it clears out Saturday is still uncertain, so keep an eye on the forecast if you have outdoor weekend plans.
What To Wear Or Bring
Light layers work fine today and tonight. Bring a water bottle — a Stanley quencher tumbler is handy for a stadium trip or a park outing in this dry air.
Cardinals, Concerts, and Weekend Plans
The St. Louis Cardinals host the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at Busch Stadium, and conditions couldn’t be better for tailgating — dry, mild, and light wind through first pitch. Grab a St. Louis Cardinals jersey or St. Louis Cardinals fitted cap before you head down, and check tickets on SeatGeek if you still need seats. Downtown, The Mavericks & Friends play The Pageant tonight. Friday night, 5 Seconds of Summer bring their EVERYONE’S A STAR! World Tour to Hollywood Casino Amphitheater — since it’s an outdoor venue and rain chances climb to 71% that night, pack a poncho; read our 5 Seconds of Summer tour coverage for more. Saturday, Forrest Frank plays The Jesus Generation Tour at Enterprise Center — indoors, so weather won’t be a factor; see our Forrest Frank concert preview.
Dinner Idea
With dry air and a comfortable evening, tonight is built for grilling — burgers, steaks, or grilled chicken with corn on the cob. An instant-read meat thermometer keeps everything cooked right, and a grill brush and scraper set makes cleanup painless. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Expect clouds and scattered showers to keep Friday’s highs in the 70s and 80s. Saturday, low-level warm air advection pushes highs back to 89°F as a ridge builds over the central U.S., though lingering shower chances remain uncertain through the day. By early next week, NWS forecasters say only 15-20% of model guidance shows any rain as heat and humidity return to St. Louis.
