Cooler air arrived in North Carolina Wednesday night, and it appears that it will stick around for a while.   Some of the coldest temperatures seen since April are forecast for late Thursday night and Friday morning.  Monday morning of next week could be even colder.  

We will see plenty of sun Thursday with highs topping out in the low to mid 60s across central North Carolina.   Clear skies into the night will allow temperatures to drop quickly after sunset.   

By sunrise Friday morning, lows should range from the upper 30s around the Triangle to the low 40s in the Sandhills.  The last time Raleigh saw lows in the 30s was April 30.   

It will definitely be a chilly start to the day, but not quite cold enough for the first frost of the season.

Friday will be another mostly sunny day with highs warming to the mid and upper 60s.  Clouds will increase across the region Friday night.  The clouds will act as a blanket, so Saturday morning will not be nearly as chilly as Friday morning.  Lows should only drop to the mid 50s.

A cold front moving through the state will  bring showers for Saturday.  Around a quarter of an inch to just under an inch of rain is forecast.  Afternoon temperatures should range from the mid and upper 60s around the Triangle to the low 70s in the Sandhills.

Another shot of cooler air will arrive behind Saturday's front.   Sunny skies on Sunday will only warm temperatures to the upper 50s and low 60s in the afternoon.  Lows will then drop to the mid and upper 30s late Sunday night into early Monday morning.

Some rural areas around central North Carolina could see a light front Monday morning.