Cool start to Thursday with sunshine

The warmth from yesterday and earlier in the week has moved to the East Coast. A cold front moved through Northeast Michigan last night and much colder temperatures have followed. Afternoon highs today reached 65 degrees in Buffalo, N.Y., 45 degrees in Alpena, and 32 degrees in Duluth, Minn.

Thursday: A cool morning, mostly sunny. Early-morning temperatures will start off near 30 degrees. Temperatures will climb to the lower/middle 40s in the late-morning. Afternoon highs will reach about 52 degrees. Evening temperatures will be in the middle/lower 40s.

Friday: An early shower is possible, then drier and cool. Predawn temperatures will go into the middle 30s. Afternoon highs will reach only 41 degrees. Evening temperatures will dip to the middle 30s.

Saturday: Partly cloudy, then nighttime rain. Early-morning temperatures will drop to the upper 20s. Late-morning temperatures will rise to the middle 30s. Afternoon highs will be around 43 degrees. Evening temperatures will head to the upper 30s.

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Eta is forecast to make landfall late tonight or early Thursday along the west coast of Florida. Tropical Storm Warnings (light blue) and Hurricane Watches (dark purple) are in effect for a large section of western Florida. Storm Surge Warnings (orange) are also posted for coastal areas due to feet-high inundation of water off the Gulf of Mexico.

After making landfall on Florida’s western coast, Eta will likely trek through northern Florida, positioned over Jacksonville midday Thursday. Later in the week, Eta is forecast to weaken Friday and become a tropical depression off the coast of the Carolinas.