Metro Atlanta residents should expect a stormy Thanksgiving, so make sure to grab an umbrella and be extra careful on the road while heading to any family gatherings.
The good news is that the rainfall should be less than previously expected, and some of us may even get to see some sunshine by the afternoon hours before temperatures plummet Thursday night.
“It’s not that we’re not going to see rain, it’s going to cover less of the day,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said of the Thanksgiving forecast. “So through about early afternoon, we’ve got that wet weather. We’re better for the afternoon.”
Parts of North Georgia could see a few showers as early as Wednesday night, Monahan said. By the early morning hours on Thanksgiving, heavier downpours will be on tap and will linger through the late morning and early afternoon.
“Embedded within that will be the possibility of an isolated, stronger, severe thunderstorm,” he said. “By the afternoon, those storms are down in South Georgia. So after about one o’clock, our storm threats will come to an end (in metro Atlanta).”
Overall, most areas will see about a quarter-inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service, with some locations seeing up to 1½ inches. That is enough to make roads slick, so be cautious while driving and make sure to leave enough space between vehicles to come to a complete stop on wet roads.
The severe weather risk Thursday for much of Georgia is at a Level 1 of 5, with the greatest concern being possible damaging wind gusts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center warns. A very low but nonzero risk of a brief, spin-up tornado is also present, so be sure to have a way to receive weather alerts.
But before that, we’re staying dry Wednesday with highs in the mid 60s. Even on Thanksgiving, highs will still be in the 60s.
Behind the rain, though, is a cold front that is pushing those showers into the area from the west. That will bring frigid weather into the metro for Black Friday, and it’s going to stay that way at least through much of next week.
It’ll be the first widespread freeze of the season so far, Monahan warned. Low temps will dip into the 20s by Sunday, and it’s expected to stay that way into early next week.
Some places are planning to open warming centers to help those in need get through the cold spell. In DeKalb County, four centers will open every night at 8 p.m. from Thursday through Sunday. They include:
» Frontline Response International at 2585 Gresham Road
» North DeKalb Senior/Community Center at 3393 Malone Drive
» Mason Mill Recreation Center at 1340 McConnell Drive
» Exchange Recreation Center at 2771 Columbia Drive
Lows will dip into the 30s overnight Thursday into Friday, and it’ll only get colder as we head into next week. Highs will stay in the low 50s on Friday. By Sunday, highs won’t make it out of the 40s, with lows bottoming out in the 20s at least through the middle of next week.
» For a detailed forecast, visit www.ajc.com/weather.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @WSBTraffic on X.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
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