The rain that has settled in over north Georgia the past couple of days could turn to snow on Thursday, with accumulations possible as far south as the northern suburbs of Atlanta, forecasters said Tuesday.
The National Weather Service issued a statement saying that a “deep cold air mass will begin to spread into the area from west to east Thursday afternoon and evening. As a result, there is a potential for rain to change over to snow across parts of north Georgia if sufficient wrap around moisture can spread back into the cold air mass behind the departing cold front.”
The Weather Service said that despite warm ground from recent highs in the 70s, snowfall rates could be enough for light accumulations, particularly on grassy and elevated surfaces by late Thursday afternoon or early evening.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist David Chandley called the system a “complex storm system” that is difficult to track.
But he said the system does “have the possibility of producing snow and sleet for a brief period. Right now I am seeing the greatest threat to see rain mixed with snow and sleet to be north of metro Atlanta — a Cedartown to Cumming to Toccoa line — Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening.”
Chandley said temperatures in metro Atlanta should hold in the 40s most of the day Thursday before dropping into the 30s by Friday morning.
Meanwhile, much of north Georgia, including most of metro Atlanta, remained under a flood watch Tuesday as rain continued to fall.
In the far northwest corner of the state, a whopping 5.16 inches of rain was recorded in Lafayette through 8 a.m. Tuesday. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Walker and Dade counties in that area through 9 p.m. Tuesday.
“Several creeks and small streams have overflowed their banks, and portions of roads near these creeks are flooded and barricades remain in place,” the Weather Service said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Chandley put the chance of rain for Atlanta at 80 percent Wednesday and 70 percent Thursday.
Friday through Sunday should be sunny, with highs in mid to upper 50s and lows in the 30s.
The recent rain has been beneficial to the area’s two major lakes, Allatoona and Lanier, which have both risen nearly six inches in the past week. Lanier, the main source of drinking water for metro Atlanta, has risen more than two feet in the past month.
Both lakes remain well below full pool, however, with Lanier down about 11 feet and Allatoona down more than 15 feet.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced in mid-December that it would reduce water releases from Lanier through at least April 30.
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