Cold Temperatures Return This Weekend With High Winds And Thunderstorms, Forecasters Say

ATLANTA, GA — Don’t put away your winter coats just yet. A weather system passing through North Georgia is expected to bring severe thunderstorms that will give way to freezing temperatures, forecasters say.

“So, we're in for big changes starting tonight,” National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Willis told Patch. “A strong storm system is moving into the area. Our primary concern during the overnight hours will be the threat of some strong, severe thunderstorms.

“But within these storms, there's potential for strong, damaging winds as well as a few tornadoes. And that will move through overnight.”

The storm system and the cold front following closely behind could be part of a “bomb cyclone” dumping heavy snow and frigid temperatures on areas further northeast like the Baltimore area, parts of Connecticut and some New Jersey counties. The weather systems will cause early Saturday morning temperatures to plummet into the 30s, ushering in a winter weather advisory for the northernmost parts of North Georgia and areas in higher elevations, Willis said.

“With that colder air quickly rushing in, we could have a bit of light snowfall for a few hours Saturday morning, especially across Northwest North Georgia, where some accumulation up to an inch or even more than that is possible,” he said. “For Northwest Georgia, but even as far south as the northwestern half of the Atlanta metro area or so, a little bit of light snow is possible with maybe a dusting, especially on grassy areas in those areas.”

The Mercury will remain in the 30s Saturday with a wind advisory in effect warning of gusts of up to 40 mph in addition to all-day winds of 20 to 25 mph, forecasters predict.

That’s just Saturday.

“For tomorrow night, we're looking at very cold temperatures,” Willis said. “Low temperatures by Sunday morning are in the low 20s across the metro and possibly dipping into the mid- to upper-teens across areas of Far North Georgia for Sunday morning. So, a hard freeze across the area.”

Sunday night could see a warming trend after 50-degree temperatures through the day that will lead to mid-30s and upper 20s going into Monday morning.

Friday: Patchy drizzle before noon, then a chance of showers after 2 p.m. Patchy fog before 11 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 60. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 11 p.m. Low around 32. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday: Rain showers likely, possibly mixing with snow after 9 a.m, then gradually ending. Partly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 33 by 9 a.m. Windy, with a northwest wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 23. Northwest wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 33.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 63.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers after 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.