With six days until Christmas, metro Atlanta has more than holiday preparations on its mind as it braces for subfreezing temperatures and the coldest weather in nearly five years.
Not since January 2018 has the city seen temperatures as low as what is predicted for Christmas weekend, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan. Temperatures could drop into the teens on Saturday and Sunday, and they might not rise above freezing the entire weekend, according to the latest forecast.
On Monday morning, temperatures are in the upper 20s and low 30s across metro Atlanta. It’s cold, Monahan said, but it’s a seasonable cold.
“Partly cloudy and a cool start to the day, and it’s going to be a cool afternoon,” he said. “Clouds will increase, but no chance of any rain today. We will stay dry for your Monday. Temperatures right around 50 degrees for highs later today.”
The sunshine will disappear behind the clouds by the end of the day, and the next chance of rain arrives overnight. Monahan is expecting spotty showers for the Tuesday morning drive and a chance of scattered rain through the afternoon.
Showers should be light, and with above-freezing temperatures in Tuesday’s forecast, none should fall as snow or ice. Atlanta’s projected low is 38 degrees Tuesday, and its projected high is a crisp 43.
“It’s going to get drier on Wednesday, and then Thursday another round of rain is going to come in — that’s as an arctic cold front approaches North Georgia,” Monahan said. “Rain will increase across North Georgia, and then early Friday morning as that arctic cold front comes in, not out of the question we could see some snow showers and snow flurries.”
Friday will also be the first day this weekend not to rise above freezing. Monahan is calling for a low of 23 degrees and a high of 29 for Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, the forecast low for Atlanta is just 19 degrees. It would put an end to Atlanta’s longest-running streak of days without temperatures in the teens. It’s been nearly 1,800 days since numbers dipped that low at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, according to Monahan.
Another 19-degree start is predicted for Christmas morning. Atlanta’s projected high is 34 degrees Sunday, but Monahan expects most suburbs will remain below the freezing point throughout the day.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
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