Temperatures across Central Maryland will run below normal for the next couple of days as a cold front clears the air. The front will pass through late today, reinforcing the one that swept past last evening with some welcome showers. This time the frontal passage will be dry.

Behind the front, forecasters say we'll enjoy lower humidity as dew points drop into the mid-50s. Daytime highs for Thursday and Friday will hold in the low 80s. Overnight lows will fall to the upper 50s in the western counties to the mid- to upper-60s in the urban and suburban counties. So switch off the AC tonight and open the windows.

But first, we'll have to deal with one more day of near-90-degree weather. Thankfully, humidities are already decreasing, so even 90 degrees will feel pretty comfortable today (Wednesday).

By late Friday, however, the high pressure center that is bringing us this pleasant interlude will move off the coast. That brings us into the return flow, with winds shifting to the south or southeast. And that will bring us a shot of warmer, more humid air off the Gulf and the Atlantic, and increasing clouds for the weekend.

We should expect that will increase our chances for showers and thunderstorms for the weekend. Forecasters give us a 60 percent chance for storms Saturday night, 40 percent on Sunday and 30 percent on Monday. With all the clouds to shade us, daily highs won't change much, remaining in the near-normal mid-80s well into next week.

Recent rains have brought forth a half-fairy-circle of these mushrooms near the WeatherDeck in Cockeysville. Can anyone identify the species?

(SUN PHOTO: Frank Roylance, Aug. 9, 2011)