Sunny, breezy and mild Thursday

Temperatures are on the upswing as the cold air that has gripped the area over the last few days is moving on out as it’s being replaced by mild weather for the middle of October.

There will be plentiful sunshine as high temperatures are expected to climb into the middle-to-upper 60s with a few places possibly sneaking up to or in the lower 70s which is several degrees above average.

The warm air arrives on the heels of a blustery southerly wind which may gust up to 40 MPH at times.

The gusty winds, warm temperatures and dry air in place will lead to critical fire weather as outdoor fires may burn out control, therefore burning is not recommended.

The sky is expected to remain clear through Thursday night. The southerly wind also will remain elevated with gusts of 30-35 MPH through the night which will help keep temperatures from getting too cold as lows are expected to drop into the upper 40s by Friday morning.