The well-predicted frontal passage blew through right on schedule overnight, and it sure had the leaves and trash swirling this morning.

The change in the weather was marked on my backyard weather station in Cockeysville around midnight by an abrupt shift in the prevailing winds from southwest to north and northwest. Velocities peaked at 12 mph around sunrise. That's high for my sheltered deck, but far lower than the actual speeds. BWI clocked gusts to 36 mph around the same time.

The high winds tore up some tarps and construction materials on the Key Bridge in Baltimore, closing the bridge in both directions for a time during morning rush hour. Lanes were gradually reopening during the morning.

Here are some hourly observations around the region.

My thermometer peaked at 66 degrees around midnight (it was 70 at the airport), then headed down toward the low 50s by morning. It's not likely to get much higher than that today before turning colder overnight tonight. Lows will reach the mid-30s for the next two nights, according to the NWS. But daytime highs will rebound to the 60s with plenty of sunshine.

The barometer went the other way, turning from a low of 29.60 inches at midnight and heading higher all morning.

The National Weather Service instruments at Baltimore-Washington International Airport showed the same pattern. Click here for a look. 

The forecast calls for high winds all day, diminishing around sunset. The next few days will be clear as high pressure builds in from the west. Look for cold temperatures at night, with a risk of frost east of the mountains. Rain becomes a possibility again by late Sunday.