Warm and cloudy weekend, colder air in the long-range forecast

We're about to see a pattern which features mostly cloudy skies, isolated shower chances, and warm temperatures.

A warm front will lift north through the area, leading to highs in the mid-upper 60s this afternoon.

Even warmer temperatures expected for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday as highs reach the mid-upper 70s under mostly cloudy skies. A few isolated showers will be possible through the weekend as a front meanders to our north. This is due to an upper-level pattern that has more of a west-to-east flow, preventing the front from moving through.

The front tries to make a move towards the area by next Monday, which could increase rain chances, but it will not have enough upper-level support to move through.

By next Wednesday, however, we finally get a strong enough upper-level push to move a strong front through the area. Wednesday will feature storms followed by plummeting temperatures for Wednesday night and Thursday. A morning start in the lows 40s Thursday followed by highs in the mid-50s Thursday afternoon.

Long-range models have been insistent on giving us a blast of Arctic air for next weekend, shortly before Christmas!