NORTH CAROLINA -- It's finally feeling like fall across North Carolina, perfect for hiking and spotting the beginnings of changing colors in our local foliage. 

There will be plenty of opportunities to get outdoors this week and the fresh air and bright blue skies should stick around through the weekend.

We can look forward to more cool, crisp mornings followed by sunny, comfortable afternoons all week. 

While the cooler air mass that spread in across the state late Monday will moderate gradually through the week, you'll still need that light jacket the next couple of mornings.

Wednesday morning will be cooler than Tuesday morning. 

Temperatures will drop to their lowest of the week Tuesday night through early Wednesday. 

Central North Carolina will wake up to temperatures around 40 degrees.  Some rural locations may drop to the upper 30's. 

This could lead to some patchy light frost, especially in the typically colder outlying areas north and west of Raleigh.

Eastern parts of the state will drop to the low and mid 40s by sunrise Wednesday.

After a chilly start to the day, sunny skies will warm us into the lower 70s Wednesday afternoon.

A gradual warm-up day by day can be expected through the rest of the week. By the weekend, highs will be near 80.

Our next chance for rain comes with a cold front next Monday.