North Georgia is headed into spring break on the heels of a cold snap.
Temperatures are in the 30s and 40s Thursday morning after a cold front swept the region Wednesday, bringing heavy downpours. Atlanta is only expected to make it to 50 degrees this afternoon, which is nearly 20 degrees below average for this time of year.
“If you’ve put away that winter coat for the year, bring back it out this morning, and also tomorrow morning, and also Saturday morning,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “It’s going to be awfully chilly.”
Atlanta could dip below freezing Friday, according to Channel 2. While Saturday and Sunday are expected to warm into the 60s, mornings will stay chilly through the weekend with projected lows in the 30s and 40s.
A freeze warning has been issued for several North Georgia counties through 10 a.m. Friday.
The cooler weather is perfectly timed with the start of spring break next week for many metro Atlanta students headed for warmer locales.
“Almost always right before Easter, you get that shot of winter cold air,” Monahan said. “That’s what we’ve got here.”
The chill Thursday will be exacerbated by the wind. All of metro Atlanta is under a wind advisory until 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service, with gusts up to 35 mph expected.
Monahan said the wind could snap small tree limbs and make temperatures feel like the 40s all the way through Thursday afternoon. Despite the wintry conditions, there is still one vestige of springtime: pollen.
Pollen counts are expected to be lower Thursday after Wednesday’s rainfall. But Monahan said there is no rain in the forecast for at least the next five days, which could cause pollen levels to skyrocket.
“Even though we’ve got the cooler temperatures, the pollen count is really likely to rise over the next few days,” he said. “We’ve got dry weather in the forecast.”
A chance of rain does not return to the forecast until late next week, he said.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Cold air Thursday morning poses no threat to metro Atlanta interstates. There are no major delays in the city at 6 a.m., according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“Really not a bad start to the rush hour,” traffic reporter Mark Arum said. “It’s chilly but smooth.”
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
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