A west wind Tuesday ushered in a cold front that was predicted to be accompanied later in the evening and early today by a chance of snow flurries and bitter cold temperatures for the next couple of nights.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service was predicting temperatures to dip into the teens tonight and again Thursday night and into the low 20s on Friday evening before normalcy returns this weekend.

The wind is also expected to continue blowing today between 15 and 20 miles per hour, making the expected high in the mid- to upper-30s seem even colder.

The breezy, cold conditions are slated to continue Thursday as well, however, by early next week the high temperatures are expected to close in on the 60-degree mark again after reaching the 50s for highs on Saturday and Sunday.

Last month, Progress Energy released the following tips on its Web site, which reportedly can boost a home’s energy efficiency significantly during the winter months as well as help reduce monthly bills:

• During cold weather, set the thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting, normally 68-70 degrees. Each degree above 70 can increase your overall energy bill by 7 to 10 percent;

• For heat pump users, set the thermostat to a constant setting and leave it there;

• Make sure drapes and furniture are not blocking air registers or returns;

• Keep the fan on your central heating unit on the “auto” position. Leaving the fan on “on” can add $25 per month to your heating costs;

• Clean or replace filters every month. Dirty filters can increase operating costs by 20 percent;

• Use ceiling fans in winter to help distribute heat around a room;

• Close your fireplace damper when not in use. Consider glass doors to help prevent heat loss when your heating system is on;

• Caulk or weather strip any gaps around windows and other places where air leaks;

• Reduce the temperature setting on the electric water heater to 120 degrees;

• Cover bare floors with carpet or rugs.

PSNC Energy offered many of the same tips for its natural gas customers during cold weather and had a few other suggestions, which included:

• Opening window shades and drapes on sunny days to help warm the house. Close them at night to retain the heat;

• Remember to turn off ventilation fans in kitchens and bathrooms to prevent heat from being drawn outside;

• Keep interior doors of your home open to keep air circulating and improve efficiency of heating system.