Expect high winds through Tuesday evening

A wind advisory was posted Tuesday for metro Atlanta, calling for gusts over 30 mph by nightfall.

The advisory, effective from 11 a.m. until Tuesday evening, was issued by the National Weather Service for areas of the state along and north of a line from Columbus to Thomasville to Eatonton to Washington.

“Winds this strong can break large branches out of trees and even cause large, unstable trees to fall,” the Weather Service warned.

Winds that were nearly calm earlier Tuesday morning were gusting to 29 mph at noon in Columbus, and the Weather Service reported gusts of 25 mph in Kennesaw and 22 mph at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

A 20 percent chance of showers was forecast for Tuesday and Tuesday night, but no storms were expected, forecasters said.

Any showers should end by Wednesday, when mostly sunny skies are predicted, along with highs in the upper 60s.

A big warmup will begin on Thursday, with highs expected to reach the upper 70s under partly sunny skies.

Friday through Sunday will be mostly sunny, with highs near 80 degrees and lows in the mid-50s.