Cold Front Brings Rain, Gusty Winds, Cooldown

A broad weather pattern brings a final warm, humid day Tuesday for many areas, with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s (and low 90s in parts of Texas) and gusty south‑to‑southwest winds ahead of an approaching cold front. That front will produce showers and rounds of rain with embedded thunderstorms tonight into Wednesday morning from the Mid‑Atlantic and New England through parts of the Midwest and Plains; most areas should see a few tenths to around an inch of rain, while some locations have already reported heavier totals (2–4 inches in southeast Nebraska, and Lincoln set a 1.33″ Oct. 6 record). Much cooler, drier air arrives Wednesday night into Thursday as winds shift northwest/northeast and gust 25–40 mph, trimming highs into the 40s–50s and bringing the coolest fall air of the season to some spots. Conditions generally clear by midweek and turn pleasant, though many Plains and Midwest areas are forecast to rebound into the 70s–80s for the weekend while coastal and northern locations remain cooler and breezy. The rain will be welcome for drought‑stressed areas but could briefly affect Wednesday morning commutes in impacted regions.