GOOD MORNING! It's Friday May 9, 2008. Just when we thought we'd get a break from the precipitation, a few showers are likely today. More showers and potentially severe thunderstorms are still on track for the late part of the weekend.

An upper level disturbance has developed in the southern plains and will trigger some showers into central Illinois as early as mid-morning and continuing into the afternoon. Rainfall totals should be light, well under a tenth of an inch. Otherwise, today's weather will feature intervals of sun and clouds and cooler temperatures as the afternoon high tops out in the mid 60's. Later tonight skies will be mostly cloudy with overnight lows in the lower 40's.

You'll have an opportunity to take care of outdoor chores or just enjoy some leisure time activities the first part of the weekend. Skies will be partly sunny Saturday with highs in the upper 60's.

Another storm system will move through the midwest Saturday night with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some storms could become severe Saturday evening. Overnight lows will be in the upper 40's. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm are likely again on Sunday. Temperatures will continue to be cool on Mother's Day with highs in the upper 50's and lows in the mid 40's. Rainfall Saturday night into Sunday could be heavy at times. The AccuWeather computer model suggests the possibility of three quarters of an inch to as much as an inch of total rainfall from this next weather maker.

Quiet, but cool, weather will be on tap the first part of next week. Monday's high will only make it into the mid 60's under partly cloudy skies. Temperatures return to seasonal levels in the low 70's by Tuesday. But, there's another chance of showers and thunderstorms Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Joe Crain, Storm Team 20 Forecaster