Warm temperatures, then a cool down

Tomorrow: Sunny and cooler. High: 72

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.

It’s warm and getting warmer. But that will soon change.

On the heels of an 84-degree high that unexpectedly broke a 1974 record Thursday, temperatures will reach just below a forecast high of 78 degrees by 5 p.m. Friday.

Highs could get near 80 degrees, which is the record set for this day in 1946, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Temps were 77 degrees in Atlanta, 71 in Blairsville and 77 in Griffin just before 1:40 p.m.

“I expect we’re going to tap out near 79 degrees and be just shy, but in the (record) neighborhood for sure,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz said.

That will not help already dry conditions in metro Atlanta.

A Red Flag warning for high fire danger will last until 7 p.m. Friday for North Georgia due to strong winds, dry soil, low moisture and low humidity forecast at about 25 to 30 percent.

Wind gusts reached 20 mph and even got up to 30 mph north of Atlanta, meteorologists said. That means any outdoor burning can lead to quick-spreading fires.

And dryness won’t end anytime soon, but record-breaking temps will. Highs are forecast to reach the low 70s Saturday and the mid-70s Sunday.

“Your five-day forecast shows gorgeous weather through the weekend, and we’ll have cool mornings and comfortable afternoons with sunshine into early next week,” Nitz said. “Of course, this is the weekend we fall back to standard time very early Sunday morning.”