The mercury climbed into the 80s Tuesday in Atlanta for the first time in almost six months, and forecasters are promising a couple more days in the 80s before rain, storms and cooler temperatures move in.
Here's what you need to know about what could be a stormy end to the week:
Severe storms possible:
Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton is predicting a 70 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms for Friday, and the National Weather Service warned that some of those storms could be strong to severe.
The Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center said there's a slight risk of severe storms Friday across much of north Georgia, including all of metro Atlanta.
"Another storm system is forecast to begin affecting the area on Sunday and Monday," the Weather Service said. "This system needs to be monitored for strong storms."
Unseasonably warm temps to continue through Thursday:
Atlanta's high Wednesday should be around 82, Minton said, followed by a high Thursday of 80. Atlanta's high Tuesday of 82 was 13 degrees warmer than normal and just 3 degrees away from the record high for the date of 85, set in 1940. The last time Atlanta's high was in the 80s was on Oct. 13, 2013.
Extended forecast:
Friday's rainy high will be in the mid-70s, Minton said, with morning lows in the 50s the rest of the week. Saturday will be dry but cooler, with highs in the upper 60s.
A 60 percent chance of rain is forecast for Sunday, along with highs in the mid-60s.
Pollen count rising with the temperatures:
Atlanta's pollen count Wednesday soared to 963 particles of pollen per cubic meter of air, up from 214 on Tuesday and just 50 on Monday. Last spring's pollen count peaked at 8,024 on April 11.
About the Author
