FRIDAY’S WEATHER: More sunshine, highs in the mid-80s this weekend

If you liked the weather to start the week, you’re going to like how it ends, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

Despite an increase in humidity, conditions are still looking pretty nice Friday afternoon with lots of sunshine, average highs and no chance of rain. Monahan is expecting that pattern to hold at least through the weekend, but heat will build headed into the first official day of fall on Sept. 22.

“It has been a picture-perfect last full week of summertime, and it’s going to be another nice day today,” he said. “A comfortable start out there, lots of sunshine this afternoon, and we’re going to finish your work week off with temperatures up in the middle 80s.”

Atlanta’s projected high is 84 degrees, which is right on target for this time of year. Friday is starting slightly below average with morning lows in the upper 50s and low 60s across the metro area.

Monahan is expecting temperatures in the 80s by the time Friday night football games kick off. It should be a beautiful night to sit outside with temperatures falling into the mid-70s by about halftime, and no chance of rain.

Out at The Battery and Truist Park, Braves fans can expect temperatures in the 70s for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m.

Great weather for baseball tonight out at Truist Park for @Phillies @Braves! @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/65FDQHzXvf
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) September 16, 2022

Don’t get too comfortable with the idea of fall weather, however.

“By early next week, I would not be surprised if we have several spots up near and maybe even a little above 90 degrees,” Monahan said. “Summertime heat, not done with that yet, but we still have a couple more days of really nice weather across North Georgia.”

Temperatures will begin to climb this weekend, reaching a high of 87 degrees in Atlanta on Sunday, according to the latest forecast. Building heat from the West will eventually push its way east, Monahan said, and by Tuesday the city could record highs above 90 degrees.

Heat will start to build back next week as high pressure moves in -- should be the same system that steers #Fiona to our east in the tropics. @wsbtv
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) September 16, 2022

“The first few days of fall, they are going to get hot,” he said. “We’re going to be up in the 90s for a lot of next week.”

North Georgia seems to be done with at least one aspect of summertime: the daily chance of thunderstorms. Monahan said most areas will stay dry through the rest of the month of September.

We will have to keep an eye on the track of #Fiona though as it moves toward the west -- still a long way out. For the next several days, though, our dry weather pattern sticks around.
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) September 16, 2022

The only threat to that forecast is Tropical Storm Fiona in the Atlantic, but forecasters have not yet nailed down what track the storm will take and if it will make landfall along the East Coast.