All that "wintry mix" silliness has been wiped from the forecast for this week. And there are no hints of snow, at least for Central Maryland. In its place, we're looking for sunshine, blustery winds and the coldest weather of the season so far.  Make sure your oil tank is full, and public officials will need to keep the homeless in mind, and put their cold shelters on alert.

By mid-week, thermometers across the region will be hard-pressed to reach 30 degrees during the day. Friday may not see 25. And overnight lows will sink through the 20s each night, to 11 degrees by Friday night at BWI, with even colder temperatures in  the normally colder suburbs and rural valleys.

EVEN COLDER UPDATE: Forecast revisions this afternoon have added a chance of snow showers Wednesday night ahead of colder air. Friday's high may not top 20 degrees, and Friday night could sink to single digits. Brrrrr!  Earlier post resumes below:

Barometers are rising today as high pressure air builds in from the north and west. Temperatures this afternoon will be about right for this time of year, when we're approaching what is, statistically, the coldest time of the year for Maryland. Average highs at BWI are 41 degrees. We're looking for 39 this afternoon at the airport. And as the air dries out, the skies will get clearer.

Temperatures Tuesday could reach the mid-40s before the first wave of arctic air begins to pile in behind the cold front. Look for a cold, windy night Tuesday into Wednesday, with wind chills nearing zero degrees. Sterling forecasters expect Wednesday's temperatures will stall somewhere short of the freezing mark. And that's all before the REALLY cold air arrives.

On Thursday, the Great Lakes will see yet another Alberta Clipper storm. Western Maryland will get some more snow off the lakes, too. But the biggest effect will be from the intensely cold air that will barrel down out of the Yukon behind the storm. Highs at BWI on Friday may get no higher than 23 degrees, with an overnight low of 11 degrees if the forecast holds up. (It will be fascinating to watch conditions up on Mt. Washington, in New Hampshire later this week.)

The weekend, from here, looks sunny and cold, with highs near 30 degrees. Time to put away the shorts, kids.