Looks like these clear skies will hold into this evening, opening a slim chance of seeing some more of the northern lights that reached down into Maryland and beyond on Monday night. Later in the week, forecasters are calling for showers, colder temperatures and even a risk of some wet flakes in the mix.

The high pressure bringing us these clear skies and sunshine will drift to the southeast. That will admit some increasing cloudiness early Wednesday. Temperatures could reach 70 degrees - the last we'll see of that number for a while.

The arrival of a cold front Wednesday will open the door to a storm system that forecasters say will deliver showers beginning early Thursday morning, and continuing into Thursday evening. 

And there the forecast models diverge. One predicts enough cold air moving in behind the front to change rain showers into snow showers, at least in the western mountains. Others see no such problems ahead. Here's AccuWeather.com on the prospects.

Partly sunny skies return on Friday, but a new low forms along the coast, bringing a renewed threat of rain showers Friday night into Saturday. Daytime highs on Friday at BWI-Marshall Airport won't leave the mid-50s. The forecast lows from Thursday night through Sunday night are in the 30s. (Have you switched on the furnace yet?)

The NWS forecast discussion for Friday night into Saturday says: "Best chances for precipitation will be eastern zones, and gradient likely will be sharp. Possibility for mix of rain/snow will have to be monitored, if airmass proves sufficiently cold."

For now, at least, the official predictions for mixed precipitation are limited to higher elevations and portions of north-central Maryland.