Strong winds, spotty showers Friday with brief cold spell to start the weekend

A storm system passing through the Upper Midwest will bring strong winds and spotty showers to the area on Friday followed by a brief cold spell to start the weekend.

Clouds will increase through the day with the wind ramping up as gusts up to 50 mph are possible at times. Therefore, a **WIND ADVISORY** is in effect through the day. A strong cold front will also pass through sometime around lunch into the early afternoon which may pop a few isolated showers. As colder air builds in behind the front, some snowflakes are possible. High temperatures will range from 45° to 52° and will likely occur during the late morning and early afternoon with temperatures crashing into the middle 30s by late afternoon.

Also, a **RED FLAG WARNING** is in effect on Friday for portions of North Iowa. The recent dry weather along with the strong winds combined with low relative humidity and milder than average temperatures will lead to fires spreading rapidly so outdoor burning is not recommended.

Cold Canadian air settles in behind the front with temperatures dropping into the teens by Saturday morning with wind chills likely in the single digits. The wind will also gradually decrease overnight into Saturday.

Temperatures will be a few degrees below average to start the weekend with highs on Saturday expected to be in the upper 20s to lower 30s, but warmer air nudges back in for Sunday with highs returning to the lower 40s. Expect plentiful sunshine and a light breeze both days.

A few light showers will be possible on Monday as a quick-moving system passes through. Another system to watch will bring the chance of rain on Tuesday and possibly snow on Wednesday. There is still a lot of uncertainty regarding that system so stay updated on the forecast.