SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — After several days of above-average warmth and some great fall weather, the weather is looking to take a sharp turn in the coming days.

Rain chances return through the rest of the week as temperatures take a tumble. We’re talking highs only in the 30s and low/mid 40s after a week where we started out with highs in the 70s!

That’s going to be quite a shock to the system with temperatures plunging 30-40° in the span of just a few days. And with breezy winds and periods of rain also anticipated, especially Thursday, along with those falling temperatures, it looks to be a rather unpleasant end to a week that started out with some beautiful autumn weather.

In addition to well below-average afternoon high temperatures, nightly low temperatures will fall well below the freezing mark of 32°. As of Tuesday afternoon, lows are looking to very likely fall into the mid/upper 20s, with several nights falling below the 28°.

With highs and lows so cold, any precipitation that falls on Friday and through the weekend looks to be either snow or a wintry mix of rain/snow.

Also with lows falling at or below 28°, it is looking pretty certain that most, if not all areas that haven’t already seen their first hard freeze, will see that as lows take a dip into more frigid territory in even the low/mid 20s.

Ahead of the freezing temperatures, you’ll want to get your home prepared.

If you still have outdoor hoses connected, you’ll want to be sure those are disconnected and drained. You’ll also want to make sure those outdoor valves and spigots are turned off. You may also want to add insulation to those to further protect them from the cold.

On the nights when temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing, which is from Friday night and on, it’s a good idea to make sure you leave cabinet doors open to pipes on exterior walls, to allow warm air to circulate through and prevent those pipes from freezing and possibly bursting. It’s also a good idea to open faucets and taps with a slow drip, allowing a bit of water to continuously move through pipes, also helping to prevent pipe freezing.

And with the colder temperatures, you may finally cave in and decide to crank up the thermostat this weekend. But you’ll want to try to get those furnaces checked out beforehand to make sure they are still in good shape, you may want to get a new air filter too.

And if you have a fireplace you’re planning to use, definitely get those and chimneys checked and cleaned out before use as well to avoid fires from buildup or damage within them.

With your car, you’ll want to make sure to check antifreeze levels ahead of time, make sure your heater is in working order, and check tire pressure. You may need to add air to your tires as well as the temperatures fluctuate!

Finally, get yourself ready! Get your favorite sweaters and leggings out that you’ve had tucked away in your closet, grab the fuzzy socks, find the winter coats, hats, and gloves and bundle up as you head out through the weekend and into next week!