Summer hasn't quite arrived, despite the 80-degree temperatures over the weekend.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Ken Simosko said patchy frost still is possible for tonight and Wednesday morning across central North Dakota. North and west counties may have experienced frost this morning.

Though lows are expected to range between 36 and 39 degrees, Simosko said it might not hurt to cover plants in colder spots.

Areas with the best chance of frost include Hettinger, Stark, Dunn and possibly Mercer counties, where lows are expected to be in the low to mid-30s, he said.

"I think Bismarck will be OK," he said.

The cold nights are expected to be accompanied by cool, dry temperatures the rest of the week, Simosko said. He said winds are forecast to be light until Thursday afternoon, when a cold front could be accompanied by stronger winds.

"I think the bottom line for this week is we're looking at below average temperatures," he said. "It looks fairly cool."

By the weekend, the weather could turn wet, with rain starting in the west on Saturday and extending into Sunday evening in other places.

Temperatures could get above 70 on Wednesday or early Thursday.

"If you're looking for 80 degrees, you're not going to find it this week,"he said. "It could be worse. We could be having a lot of severe weather."

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@bismarcktribune.com.)