Strong low up north signals more changes for us

A strong area of low pressure is currently moving through the northern Plains this morning and will continue to move east into Minnesota and then into the upper Great Lakes by this evening.  While we won't be directly impacted by this low, a cold front will move through later this evening and overnight helping to pull down much cooler weather for the end of this week.  Very gusty winds can be found through the Plains and upper Midwest as some gusts overnight have been close to 50-55mph.  High Wind Watches and Warnings have been issued for the states closer to the center of the low.  While it will be gusty at times for us, I'm not expecting any gusts quite that high. 

The bulk of the storms have remained centered around the low but there have been a few showers that have developed over Iowa early this morning.  This is a result of warm air advecting, or being brought in, from the south.  These showers will likely continue to the west and may even clip our far northwest counties later this afternoon but most of us should remain dry until the cold front moves through later this evening.  Once the front passes it appears as if the atmosphere will become blocked with sprawling high pressure in the Atlantic and another one in the west.  This will cause a cut-off low to develop and basically spin over the Great Lakes into this weekend.  This means the cooler weather and periodic rain chances will persist through at least Saturday, if not Sunday.