A cold blast from the north will keep Lawrence shivering today, setting the stage for Friday morning’s first act of winter — a hard frost that will kill off most seasonal plants.

“We do keep it chilly for the next two days,” said Jennifer Schack, 6News meteorologist. Shack said this morning’s northerly blustery winds were making the 43 degree temperature feel more like 34.

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“If one of those 35 mph gusts of wind hits you in the face, it’s going to feel like its in the 20s,” she said

This morning’s skies were still cloudy, following Wednesday’s afternoon and evening rains, which brought 0.43 of an inch of rain to the Lawrence Municipal Airport. Some places around the area reported as much as 0.7 of an inch, but the average was just under a half inch for the area, Schack said.

Clouds will clear off today as drier air moves in from the north. “We should break into some sunshine sometime in the morning,” Schack said.

But a cold front has been bringing in temperatures about 20 degrees below normal for today, Schack said. Some areas west of Topeka were seeing temperature in the high 30s this morning, she said.

This morning’s temperatures in the Lawrence area were starting out in the low 40s, with northerly winds 15-25 mph, gusting up to 35 mph, she said.

Lawrence will stay in the low 40s all day, with the late afternoon temperature falling to 41, Schack said. Overnight the temperature will drop to 24, bringing a hard frost that will kill off most of the seasonal outdoor plants and flowers.

“That will be our first hard freeze for the season,” Schack said.

Friday will be another cool day, with the high reaching only 46. Saturday’s morning low will drop to 25, bringing another hard frost, she said. Saturday’s high will be 49, under partly cloudy skies.

Sunday’s morning low will be 31, with partly cloudy skies throughout the day. Sunday’s high will reach 52.