ST. LOUIS – Thursday afternoon was cloudy, chilly, and breezy. Expect some flurries around the region through this evening. More sunshine will return to the area on Friday, but it’ll be cold and brisk, with highs only in the mid-to-upper 30s.

After a quick shot of cold air, we have a pleasant weekend for Mardi Gras celebrations. Dry, warmer, and breezy, with highs in the 50s on Saturday and close to 60 degrees on Sunday.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the Soulard Mardi Gras parade near Downtown St. Louis this weekend. The event is the largest outside of New Orleans and officially starts at 11 a.m. The parade route begins at Busch Stadium, passes through Soulard, and ends at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

A family-friendly Mardi Gras parade returns to St. Charles this weekend after an inaugural experience last year. Festivities are planned for Saturday, Feb. 18 at St. Charles’ Frenchtown Historic District.

The mild temperatures will continue into early next week. President’s Day is looking dry and the next chance of wet weather will be on Mardi Gras Tuesday.