Frost on the pumpkin?

The clouds off to the east this Wednesday morning are due to an upper level disturbance associated with the core of the jet stream passing overhead. High pressure will be in charge of Mecklenburg county weather for the next several days, keeping sunny skies and chilly air in place. Both today and Thursday look to be the coolest days of the period with afternoon highs barely nudging the 60 degree mark.

Daytime heating from the sun will be counteracted somewhat by cool northerly breezes in the 5-10 mph range both days. However, after sunset (at 6:37 p.m. today) the winds will calm down. Under mostly clear skies with very dry air in place temperatures will tumble into the 30s both tonight and Thursday night. There actually could be some scattered frost in the colder sites around the county, so protect any sensitive vegetation.

The aforementioned high pressure will dominate the weather for a while, allowing local temperatures to climb back to seasonal averages by the weekend. These conditions are typical for October, which is the least cloudy month of the year for Mecklenburg county (at the black star):

That high pressure will also keep any tropical systems away from the area over the next week or so. The latest National Hurricane Center forecast shows a couple areas of concern, one over the Caribbean and one well out into the Atlantic. Hurricane season doesn't officially end until November 30th.