Beautiful, crisp Thursday, rain, windy weather to return

Sunshine has been abundant, with light winds, and readings rising from a cold start in the 20s to the low 50s, under a broad area of high pressure. Clouds will arrive from the west tonight, limiting the drop in temperature to the low 40s.

Showers will develop Friday morning, with breezy conditions, and continue off and on through the evening, along with a few isolated storms. Temperatures will reachthe low 60s and hold steady overnight.

Low pressure tracking through the Central states to the northern Great Lakes early Saturday will push a cold front through the state, preceded by periods of rain and a few embedded gusty thunderstorms.

Winds will increase on Saturday, with gusts in the 40 to 50 mph range from the southwest. Skies will be mostly cloudy, with scattered showers developing in the afternoon, as colder air aloft moves in. Temperatures will fall through the 50s into the mid-40s by early evening. Sunday will bring a return of sunshine and seasonable weather.

Early next week will turn springlike. Temperatures will approach 70 degrees on Monday under mostly sunny skies. Clouds will return Monday night and Tuesday, with scattered showers as a warm front lifts north. Breezy conditions will draw unseasonably warm air northward, with highs in the 70s. Rain is more likely on Wednesday.

Forecast

• Thursday: Sunny, crisp. High 54
• Tonight: Clouds increase, not as cold. Low 41
• Friday: Showers, breezy, mild High 62
• Saturday: Windy, colder, showers p.m. High 60, falling to 45
• Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 53 (29)
• Monday: Mostly sunny, breezy, warmer. High 70 (39)
• Tuesday: Mix clouds and sun, few showers. High 72 (55)
• Wednesday: Showers, storm, breezy, warm. High 76 (61)
• Thursday: Showers linger. High: 57 (41)