Tracking afternoon air that will have you reaching for a jacket

TODAY: Friday is a sharp cool down for us as a cold front will pass from northwest to southeast through the day. In Columbia will start the morning in the 60s, then a wind shift from the north west around 9 a.m. will drop temperatures into the low 50s by 3 p.m., and into the 40s around 6 p.m. The front will pass earlier to the northwest and later to the southeast, leaving these locations generally cooler and warmer respectively. Only light showers are expected along the front.

TONIGHT: behind the front some partly cloudy skies will linger, so some clearing is likely. Temperatures will be falling fast with breezy winds from the north continuing overnight. We'll stay mostly dry, save for a spot shower, with temperatures likely in the 30s.

EXTENDED: More clouds and some scattered rain chances return after a partly cloudy start to the day on Saturday. Winds stay from the north, keeping us in the 40s. Rain chances are best in the late afternoon and evening. Rain overspreads the region into Sunday morning, and won't taper off until Sunday night. We'll be overcast and cool all day on Sunday, with temperatures likely near 40 from sunrise into the afternoon. Then we clear late Sunday night into Monday as high pressure slides in, and this is what drops our temperatures to floor. Under lighter winds, and clearing skies, temperatures will likely fall below freezing and into the 20s early Monday. Sunshine gets us into the 40s. With high pressure stagnant here at the surface and clear skies, we'll be even colder Tuesday morning, with highs in the 40s. We'll do this again on Wednesday, so Tuesday night will be quite chilly, with trick-or-treat temperatures likely in the 30s, and maybe below freezing depending on how late you stay out. More moderate temperatures return late next week, with 50s and 60s in sight.