Tree limbs hit cars as strong winds arrive; lows in the 40s ahead

ATLANTA FORECAST

Today: Windy and cool. High: 67

Tonight: Mostly clear. Low: 52

Tomorrow: Breezy and cool. High: 65

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.

In a two-day period, Atlanta will have gone from setting record highs to below-average temperatures.

Typical Atlanta.

After tying a record high Tuesday and setting new records Wednesday and Thursday, a cold front brought strong winds Friday that are expected to last through the weekend, Channel 2 Action News reported.

“Limbs down will be a concern,” meteorologist Katie Walls said. “But also it’s a high fire danger because when you combine these gusty winds with the ongoing drought, any wildfire that does get started will spread quite quickly.

Northwest wind gusts were already at 30 mph Friday afternoon, and they sent a tree down near Whitlock Avenue in Marietta, Channel 2 reported.

A tree also fell on a car on Ga. 400 near Haynes Bridge Road in north Fulton County. Alpharetta police told Channel 2 that heavy winds took down that tree, too. No one was injured.

Temperatures likely won’t get out of the 60s Friday, according to Channel 2. Temps were 62 degrees in Atlanta, 53 in Blairsville and 63 in Griffin after 7:45 p.m.

And it will stay windy, Walls said. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory until 6 p.m. for all of North Georgia, which means gusts could reach nearly 40 mph.

“And your Saturday morning is going to be a nice, chilly start,” she said. “Get ready for widespread 40s.”

Temps will increase only to the mid-60s Saturday, but they will get warmer Sunday when the high is expected to be 75.