CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – We’re ready to enjoy a Tuesday, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures comfortably reaching the upper 40s and lower 50s.

This seasonal heat is expected to last all day, but as night falls the weather changes. A storm system moving east across the Plains will increase cloud cover and lead to increased humidity levels in the region. This means showers are likely to develop, sparking a wetter trend that will begin in the morning and spread to eastern Iowa in the afternoon. Expect these showers to last into the night, but rain is expected to ease early Thursday morning, moving west to east across the region. Overall, precipitation amounts are expected to remain light with most areas receiving around 0.10 inches, a manageable level for most fall plans.

Once this midweek system dissipates, dry weather should return just in time for the weekend, giving us a break from any rain. Temperatures will be a bit warmer later in the week and through the weekend, with highs approaching 60 degrees, which is mild for this time of year and perfect for late fall activities. However, as we head into the middle of next week, a stronger and potentially more impactful weather system appears on the horizon. Not only could this lead to more widespread showers, but there is also a possibility of colder air surrounding this system. This could bring the first rain-snow mix of the season to our area, as temperatures drop and the air becomes just cold enough to support snowfall in some locations.

While it’s still a little early to say for sure, this system could give us our first taste of winter with a mix of rain and snow, depending on how cold air interacts with precipitation. . If this mixture materializes, it would mark the first snowflakes of fall and remind us that winter is not that far away. We’ll be watching this system closely as it approaches, but for now, enjoy the sunshine today, prepare for a few showers tomorrow, and keep an eye out for that potentially wintry mix that awaits us next week.