Cooler, Dry Weather Ahead This WeekBATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) -- With Christmas just a week away, Baton Rouge residents can expect cooler and drier weather for the second half of this week. A cold front will move through the area on Wednesday, Dec. 18, bringing a few showers in the afternoon and evening. After the rain clears, high pressure will settle in, bringing pleasant weather and comfortable temperatures from Thursday through Sunday. If you’re traveling in the southern U.S. this weekend, expect sunshine and dry conditions to continue. Warming Trend Begins Early Next WeekBy Monday, high pressure will move east, and winds will shift from the north to the southeast. This shift will bring warmer air and moisture from the Gulf, causing temperatures and dew points to rise. Highs will reach the mid-60s by the start of next week, making for mild conditions leading into Christmas. Christmas Eve Rain, but Clearing on Christmas DayA frontal system will arrive between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms to the Baton Rouge area on Christmas Eve night. Model guidance suggests the rain should taper off late Christmas morning, with decreasing clouds by Christmas afternoon with above normal temperatures. Forecast Updates ExpectedSince Christmas is still a week away, forecast details may change. Stay tuned for updates! Latest News LSU, Tulane partner up to research impacts of Mississippi River Delta erosion on communities Kansas restaurant worker caught chopping meat on ground, owner explains why Six suspects from Baton Rouge wanted in French Quarter shooting that left teen injured Big Game Bound: Can the Steelers clinch the AFC North? Top GOP appropriator 'surprised' by Trump debt ceiling demand: 'Don't know his rationale'