Area temperatures to plummet overnight

An arctic cold front will bring a blast of winter to Southeast Missouri and the surrounding region tonight.

The National Weather Service warned Wednesday that Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois will be under the grip of the blast of cold air by midnight, with temperatures ranging from the upper 20s to the mid-30s, and with wind gusts up to 35 mph, wind chills will range from the upper teens to mid-20s.

Some light precipitation is expected, especially east of the Mississippi River, starting as light rain and changing into light snow. However, temperatures will be high enough when the precipitation falls that no accumulation is expected, the weather service said Monday afternoon.

Monday's high at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport was 61 degrees.

Tuesday should be sunny with a high in the upper 30s in Cape Girardeau, according to weather service forecasts.