A cold day will turn into a frigid evening Monday, with temperatures in metro Atlanta dropping below freezing by 11 p.m., according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan.

Commuters will wake up to temperatures in the upper-20s Tuesday morning, with similar conditions forecast for Wednesday morning.

The chill was already in effect Monday morning, as people returning to school and work after the long holiday break were greeted with temperatures in the mid-30s.

The cold weather is expected to continue through much of the week, with afternoon highs in the mid- to upper 40s Tuesday and Wednesday and the low 50s on Thursday. By Friday, the temperature is expected to reach a high of 59 degrees after lows in the high 40s.

The warmer weather will bring a greater chance of rain, though nothing like the heavy precipitation metro Atlanta received through the holidays, Monahan said.

» Check the full forecast and track changes