There are words like "arctic front" and "temperatures plummet" and "significant storm" in this morning's forecast discussion from Sterling. It is December, after all. On the other hand, it does not look like we'll see snow in Baltimore on Dec. 5 - a date which has seen at least a trace in four out of the last 5 years. The 6th? Maybe.

For the moment, however, we're looking at sunshine, high pressure, and daytime highs not too far below the norms for this time of year at BWI. That would describe today and tomorrow, with highs in the mid-40s and overnight lows in the upper 20s to low 30s. Western counties with snow on the ground (that's Deep Creek Lake below) could drop into the teens as clear skies and radiational cooling allow steeper heat loss.

Then the high moves offshore, and we fall under a return flow of warmer, wetter air. Thursday's high will reach the 50s and we may see a shower or two before the next cold front arrives.

By Thursday night, after the "arctic front" goes by, skies should clear again and temperatures will "plummet" if the forecasters are right. Overnight lows this weekend will drop to the low 20s - 5 or more degrees below the average for this time of year.

Then, forecasters say, we could see a "clipper system" ride out along the front from the Canadian north, Saturday into Sunday. These storms don't typically bring lots of snow because they're relatively dry. But they can drop troublesome accumulations along a narrow track.

"Even a little coating could cause some impacts as surface temperatures will be very cold, in the 20s. Luckily it is going to be on a weekend and not during a weekday," NWS forecasters said this morning.

Looking ahead into next week, forecast models predict "a potential significant storm ... Uncertainty is high here, especially in timing," the morning discussion says. That's it. That's all they'll say. Just thought you'd like to know.

For your first dose of snow hype this winter, you'll have to turn to AccuWeather.com's Henry Margusity's long-range forecast, hinting at a coastal storm early next week.