Sunny skies and more southwesterly component to the winds will drive temperatures back into the seasonable-plus range today and tomorrow. The forecasters out at Sterling are looking for a high at BWI near 50 degrees on Friday. That would be close to 10 degrees above the long-term average for the date.

If we make it to 50, it would be the first time we've seen that country since Jan. 5.

But it won't last long. The high-pressure system we're enjoying will yield overnight Friday-into-Saturday to another cold front trailing a new clipper system that will be crossing the Great Lakes on Friday. Behind the front there is more wintry air. It may bring rain and snow to the western slopes of the mountains. And it will hold our highs in the low 40s on Saturday, and the 30s on Sunday and into the early part of next week.

The next chance for precipitation in Baltimore comes in the middle of next week as some Gulf moisture makes its way in behind the departing high. But it's too soon for forecasters to venture a guess on what kind it will be.

In the meantime we will enjoy some fine nights of star-gazing. Venus remains brilliant, high in the southeastern sky well into the evening. And the bright winter constellations now grace the southeastern sky throughout the evening - Orion the Hunter, the Gemini twins (Castor and Pollux) and Taurus the Bull. The Great Bear (also known as the Big Dipper) stands on its handle in the evening in the northeast.  And W-shaped Cassiopeia rests in her throne in the northwest.

Go out tonight and get re-acquainted. Skies should be clear and crisp all evening. Here (left) is a Hubble image of the Orion Nebula, a young, star-forming region below Orion's familiar three-star "belt." With a good pair of binoculars you can see the nebula. It looks like a pale white smear of starlight. Hubble, of course, shows far more color and detail.