Hats and jackets for weekend outings

The weekend recreational weather forecast is short and sweet ... clear and a bit on the cool side.

If you're out in the morning or in the evening, take a jacket. If you have a midday outing, you'll need sunglasses and a hat. It's autumn at its near-best this weekend in the Charlotte area and across the rest of the Carolinas.

Don't use today as a guide for the rest of the weekend. High pressure will settle into the region overnight, bringing temperatures about 5 to 6 degrees cooler than Friday.

Highs will be in the upper 60s each day, with morning lows in the low to middle 40s. Skies will be clear throughout the weekend.

Here's your recreational weather forecast:

Friday night football ... The afternoon breezes will die down, and temperatures will drop pretty quickly as cooler air filters in. You can expect temperatures in the upper 60s at kickoff, but it'll drop into the upper 50s (and maybe the mid 50s) by the end of the game.

Saturday morning ... Temperatures will chill to the mid 40s in Charlotte at sunrise, so if your children have a 9 a.m. soccer game, or if you're scheduled to play golf or tennis in the morning hours, plan accordingly. It will be chilly.

Saturday afternoon football and other events ... Full sunshine and cool temperatures are in store. If you're headed up to the mountains to see the leaves (or maybe to catch Appalachian State's home game against Wofford), expect afternoon temperatures in the lower 60s at 3,000 feet and higher. Winds will be nearly calm. Down in the Piedmont, highs will range between 66 and 69 degrees.

Saturday evening ... Duke and North Carolina have an evening football game, and fans can expect clear skies, calm winds, and temperatures falling from the low and mid 60s at kickoff to the mid 50s by the end of the game. Take a jacket.

Sunday for the Panthers ... Tailgating temperatures will be in the upper 50s around 11 a.m., but it'll climb to around 65 degrees for the 1 p.m. kickoff against Dallas. By late in the game, readings could be near 70 degrees. Expect full sunshine.

Looking ahead at next week ... The cool trend will moderate, but clear skies will remain. By Tuesday and Wednesday, afternoon highs will be in the mid 70s, and we'll be pushing 80 degrees -- more than 10 degrees above average -- by the end of the week.