There is a little something for everyone in the forecast this week as temperatures swing from below average to above.
Monday is starting off chilly. After a warm start to May, North Georgia has taken a step back and has been experiencing temperatures about 10 degrees lower than what is typical, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.
The jet stream is still dipped across the southeast and is bringing in unusually cool air up and down the east coast, he said. Some places in the Northeast even had snow over the weekend.
“We're going to change this, though, a little later in the week,” Monahan said. “As we head through Wednesday, temperatures get back into the 70s, and then by Thursday and Friday much warmer air moves in, and we're going to be back above average.”
The average high for mid-May is about 79 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Monday’s projected high is 67 degrees for Atlanta, but Monahan said the city should be well into the 80s by the end of the week.
As for morning lows, Monday is not quite as cool as the past weekend, which saw freezing temperatures in parts of North Georgia. Lots of sunshine in the forecast should help temperatures in the 40s and 50s rise into the 60s for most, according to Channel 2.
“The lone exception should be those far northeast mountain counties,” Monahan said. “You'll stay in the upper 50s today.”
He said there is not not much rain in the forecast this week. Tuesday has about a 20% chance of rain, and showers are 30% likely Wednesday, according to Channel 2.
Any rain that makes it to North Georgia should stay north of Lake Lanier, Monahan said. Metro Atlanta is expected to stay mainly dry.
Conditions on metro Atlanta interstates remain lighter than normal Monday, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
While there are no volume- or crash-related delays at 6 a.m., traffic reporter Mark Arum said he is seeing more drivers on the roads as Georgia slowly reopens.
In Forsyth County, data shows trips dropped 31% during the state’s shelter-in-place order, he said. Trips have increased 12% since the order was lifted May 1.
Fulton County saw a 37% decrease, according to data from Traffic Carma. Since last week, trips have increased about 11%.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
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