Today's Weather: The Beginning Of A Chilly Slide

Temperatures Tuesday got near 60 degrees, and it was quite pleasant in the afternoon with plenty of sunshine. On Wednesday, we find another bright start to the day, but clouds will increase and temperatures will be a couple of degrees cooler. I'm not expecting any precipitation.

A coastal storm will graze the area on Thursday with a chance for a couple of showers, but not much in the way of rainfall. The best opportunity for any rain would be south of the Mass Pike and especially over southeastern Massachusetts. It will be a little bit chillier as well.

It should be basically dry with some sunshine Friday, but again, the temperature will be below average.

That chilly air is just a taste of things to come. Another storm moves northeast along the coastline Friday night and brings a quick shot of some showers. There could be some wet snow in the higher elevations.

Behind that storm system, some of the coldest air that is possible this time of the year will invade the region this weekend. The core of this cold air will stay in the 40s, nearly 20 degrees below average, on Saturday. We are headed down around or below freezing Saturday night.

If you want to understand just how cold this air is going to be, you can look towards where it's coming from. The map below shows the trajectory of the air which arrives here this weekend. If you follow this trajectory back you end up basically at the North Pole.

This is why it's going to be so cold: Our air is coming from where Santa Claus lives. And while that may be fun in December, it's not this time of the year.

You can follow my updates here and on Twitter @growingwisdom.

Wednesday: Sunshine and some clouds. Highs 55-60.

Wednesday night: Partly cloudy. A late night shower. Lows 35-40.

Thursday:  A periods of shower after some morning sun. Highs 54-59.

Friday: Partly cloudy. May shower late. Highs nearing 60.

Saturday:  Morning shower. Blustery and cold. Sunshine and clouds. Highs 45-50.

Sunday: Partly cloudy and cold in the morning. Highs 50-55.

Monday: Sunshine and clouds. Highs near 60.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy may shower. Highs 55-60.