It’s a few days late. But May weather will finally arrive in Lawrence this afternoon — mostly sunny skies with temperatures climbing into the low 70s.

” The temperatures are not as bad as they were Monday and Tuesday (when morning temperatures fell into the mid 20s, setting new low temperature records),” said Jennifer Schack, 6News meteorologist.

Latest forecast Weather radar

At 7:30 a.m., the temperature was 39 degrees, with a 6-mph southeast wind making the wind chill 35 degrees. The average low for this date is 52, Schack said.

She said temperatures will quickly rise today, climbing to 66 by noon and reaching a high of 71 by 4 p.m., which is the average high temperature for this date.

“It should be a little breezy,” Schack said. Winds will be from the southwest at 12 to 18 mph, with some gusts as high as 25 mph.

Partly cloudy skies are in the forecast, but no precipitation is expected in northeast Kansas, she said.

Overnight, the low will drop to 45 by early Thursday morning.

“We’re heading into the mid 70s tomorrow,” she said. Thursday’s high temperature will climb to 74 degrees, with southerly winds 8 to 12 mph, she said.

Friday’s morning low will be close to average, starting out at 51 degrees. Friday’s high will climb to 76 under partly cloudy skies.

“I think it’s a steady climb through Saturday, when we top out in the 80s,” Schack said.