A strong cold front brought winter-like temperatures back to metro Atlanta early Wednesday, less than a week before Easter. Here's what you need to know about the rest of the day and the warmer weather forecast by the weekend:
Freezing Wednesday wake-up temps. The National Weather Service posted a freeze warning for metro Atlanta through 9 a.m. Wednesday, and Mother Nature delivered with near-record lows. Readings at daybreak ranged from 29 in Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Cartersville, 30 in Johns Creek and 31 in Chamblee to 33 in Marietta and 34 at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Atlanta's record low for April 16, measured at the airport, is 32, set in 1962. Normal low for the date is 52, and the normal high is 73.
Frigid Wednesday forecast: Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said temperatures will only reach the upper 50s Wednesday afternoon before dipping back into the upper 30s Wednesdsay night.
Gradually warmer beginning Thursday: Minton said highs will be in the low 60s Thursday and mid-60s Friday, when there's a 40 percent chance of rain. Minton's weekend forecast calls for mostly sunny skies, with highs in the mid-70s and lows in th upper 40s to low 50s.
Trees toppled: The cold temperatures rode in on brisk winds Tuesday that gusted to around 40 mph. Shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday, firefighters rescued two women trapped on the second floor of a home on Sugar Creek Drive, near Marietta, when a large tree fell, according to Lt. Dan Dupree with the Cobb fire department. After being rescued, the two were transported to the hospital with unknown injuries. In Sandy Springs, a portion of Riverside Drive between River North Court and Johnson Ferry was temporarily shut down due to a tree down on wires, according to police. A large tree that fell in Gwinnett County pulled down power lines, knocking electricity out to some residents.
Rain lowers pollen count: Wednesday's pollen count was 2,482 particles per cubic meter of air, up from Tuesday's count of 1,180 .
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