Much of the Lawrence area was shrouded in a thick fog this morning. However, the patchy, dense fog lifted by midmorning, leaving behind mostly sunny skies for the rest of the afternoon.

“You might not recognize the skyline on Massachusetts Street,” said Jennifer Schack, 6News meteorologist as she viewed the 6News TowerCam this morning, which showed the fog blanketing Lawrence’s downtown.

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Fog started to develop about 6:30 a.m. By 8:30 a.m., the visibility at Lawrence Municipal Airport was down to one-fourth of a mile, but in some areas it was zero visibility, Schack said. She said the fog was expected to burn off by midmorning.

At 1 p.m., the temperature was 51, with a southwesterly 8-mph wind making the wind chill 48.

“We’re not anticipating any precipitation during the day today,” Schack said. The cold front is staying off to the north of the Lawrence area. Temperatures will climb into the upper 50s today, she said.

This afternoon’s high is expected to be 58, she said. The average high is 57.

Overnight, the temperature will fall to 31 by early Thursday morning.

Lawrence residents heading out to Thursday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which begins at 1 p.m. and goes through downtown Lawrence, can expect warm, but windy conditions, Schack said. Thursday’s temperature is expected to climb into the 60s, with the high reaching 63. Winds will be from the southwest 10 to 20 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph toward the late afternoon, she said.

Friday morning’s low will be 37, with the high reaching 56 under partly cloudy skies.