Arctic blast bringing cold shot to metro Atlanta, snow possible in mountains
Temperatures across North Georgia will plunge early next week and could even bring a taste of snow to the state’s tallest mountains.
It might not feel like it now, with temps peaking in the mid-70s Friday as they have for the past few days, but you know the drill. When forecasters start talking about a freeze, it’s time to prep your pipes and bring in the plants and pets if you haven’t already.
Highs are expected to stay mild to warm through the weekend, with some storms expected late Friday and Saturday morning. Then, a cold front will drop across the region Sunday, ushering in a blast of Arctic air that night, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s going to be windy, and we’re going to have low temperatures down and below freezing across North Georgia,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.
That same cold front will sweep down the eastern half of the country starting Saturday and potentially bring the season’s first snow to the Great Lakes region and throughout New England well ahead of winter’s official start Dec. 21, according to the NWS.
In metro Atlanta, highs to kick off the week are projected to stay in the 40s and 50s. Morning lows, however, could dip to 30 degrees in the city on Monday. It won’t be much — if any — better on Tuesday, according to the forecast.
The frigid snap will mark the first widespread freeze of the season, arriving a couple weeks earlier than usual.
Typically, metro Atlanta’s first freeze happens around Nov. 19, according to NWS data. The last time the city saw temps at or below freezing this year was Feb. 23.
It will be even colder in areas further north, especially in the mountains, where snow is possible Monday, the Weather Service warns. There, lows could drop into the 20s.
The frigid air and potential flakes won’t be as much of a shock for those in higher elevations. Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia, already saw its first snow of the season Monday.
Residents there woke up to snow-covered ground, with even more accumulating on colder surfaces like vehicles. Shuttles to the scenic peak’s viewing area, which offers a glimpse of Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina, were suspended for the day because of the icy conditions, the park announced on social media.
Metro Atlanta likely won’t see any snow or even flurries with this cold blast, according to the NWS. The forecast is calling for dry conditions around the city.
“No significant impacts are expected at this time, and it is important to reemphasize that if — big if — anything does fall, it will likely be relegated to the highest elevations and limited in scope,” NWS forecasters said.
The cold won’t last long. By Wednesday, highs are expected to be back in the mid-60s with lows in the 40s across North Georgia.
