Hi everybody. Matt here in the weather center...

My wife will tell you, I'm a chronic worrier. I'm on of those people that just doesn't feel comfortable unless I have something to worry about. If I'm not worried about something, I must be getting lazy, or forgetting something about which I should be worried. That probably explains why I'm always carrying around a to-do list, along with my Pocket PC -- I've got to have my calendar with me at all times, after all...

The field of meteorology is a poor choice for a chronic worrier. When you monitor and forecast the weather for a living, there's always something to worry about. So what is it that has me worried now? Allow me to show you...

I won't waste your time by explaining every detail of this unusual-looking map, but I will draw your attention to the closed black circles near the Rocky Mountains. To make a long story short, this is our next big weather-maker -- a powerful storm system that will gradually pull out of the Rockies and into the Midwest over the next few days.

The red blobs that you see surrounding the closed circles represent what we call "vorticity". Basically, vorticity is spin in the atmosphere, and it is one of many variables that we look at when trying to predict the liklihood of rain, particularly thunderstorms.

This storm has me worried for two reasons...

1. There is a possibility of severe thunderstorms as this system begins to impact our area Friday, and that threat certainly looks as though it could linger through Saturday as well. In fact, conditions are ripe for a tornado outbreak today (Wednesday) across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas.

2. The timing on this storm system is still a bit of a question mark. The latest computer models clearly indicate that our best chances of rain and thunderstorms associated with this system arrive Friday and Saturday. But, and this is a big but, those computer models often move these storms into the middle of the country too quickly. In other words, because of a weather traffic jam of sorts, this storm system could arrive in our area 24 or even 36 hours later than we're currently anticipating. THAT'S A PROBLEM because tens of thousands of people will be in downtown St. Louis Sunday evening for the Cardinals' season opener against the New York Mets. If this system really does slow to a halt, we may have to extend our chances of rain through Sunday!

But, at this point, that is not an official part of our forecast. Our current thinking is that the last of the rain will move out of the bi-state area early Sunday. One part of the forecast appears certain -- it will be quite a bit cooler when fans file into Busch Stadium Sunday!

You see... always something to worry about. Don't worry about me though -- I honestly can relax and have a good time every now and then. So, don't lose any sleep over me. Besides, I lose enough sleep for the both of us!

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