Raleigh, N.C. — A sprawling cold front that brought dangerous and damaging storms to the northern East Coast and dumped heavy rain on the Triangle Saturday cleared the way for cooler temperatures and a break in humidity this week.

"Fall is here," WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said.

Muggy, stormy conditions dominated last week's forecast, but this week will be cooler and drier as summer inches toward fall, WRAL meteorologist Mike Moss said.

"It does look really nice for these next several days — in fact, stretching right through the week for the most part," Moss said. "(It will be) much more comfortable out there compared to the sticky days we've had recently."

The start of the work week will be sunny and pleasant, Moss said. Monday will be mostly sunny, with a soft, northerly breeze and a high of 80.

Temperatures will remain in the high 70s and low 80s until Thursday, when the mercury creeps into the mid 80s again. Lows will get down into the 50s for the first time since mid June.

There's no chance of rain in the forecast.

On Saturday, sudden downpours drenched the Triangle, prompting a flash flood warning for Wake County, and high winds blustered through, downing power lines in Durham that closed Interstate 85 for about an hour and a half.