First Alert Forecast: Colder weather expected this week

BALTIMORE - The main weather story this week will be the colder temperatures arriving, making it feel much more like fall.

After a beautiful Sunday afternoon, clouds will increase across the area tonight. A cold front is expected to move through the region by early Monday morning. There is a slight chance for a stray shower with the front as it passes late tonight, particularly in Western Maryland. A few showers could reach as far east as areas west of I-95 through the morning hours. Any showers that do occur should end by sunrise on Monday.

Overnight temperatures will only dip into the upper 50s to around 60 degrees, but high temperatures on Monday will struggle to get out of the 60s. Another noticeable factor on Monday will be the stronger winds. Gusty northwest winds, in the wake of the cold front, will reach over 30 mph at times, with the strongest winds expected from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. Monday's high temperatures will reach the mid-60s.

Monday night will mark the beginning of several chilly nights, potentially the coldest of the season so far. Low temperatures will dip into the lower 40s for most areas. However, cloud cover and gusty northwest winds should keep temperatures from falling into the 30s.

Expect mostly cloudy skies on Tuesday, with a stray sprinkle possible during the afternoon. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-50s. Tuesday night will be quite chilly, with lows dropping into the upper 30s to around 40 degrees. Highs on Wednesday will reach the mid-50s again.

The coldest nights of the week will be Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures dipping well into the 30s across parts of the region. There will be a moderate risk of the season's first frost on both nights, so it's important to take precautions to protect cold-sensitive plants.

High temperatures on Thursday afternoon will rebound into the 60s, with highs reaching the mid-60s on Friday. The warm-up will continue through the weekend, with sunny skies and highs near 70 degrees for both Saturday and Sunday. Low temperatures at night will dip into the lower 40s.

Next week will start on a mild and sunny note, with sunny skies and highs around 70 degrees. Low temperatures at night will drop into the upper 40s and lower 50s.