WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Temps drop to mid-30s, coldest in months

ATLANTA FORECAST

Saturday: High: 50

Saturday night: Low: 35

Sunday: High: 52

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

UPDATE 5:10 P.M. SATURDAY:

A freeze warning is in effect from 9 p.m. Saturday through 10 a.m. Sunday across much of North Georgia and part of west Georgia, said Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Katie Walls.

The warning means residents can expect temperatures falling into the 20s and low 30s.

"Cover plants, protect your pets and remember those who don’t have heat," Walls advised.

MORE: How and when to cover plants during cold weather

ORIGINAL STORY:

Metro Atlanta had its coldest temps in months Saturday as a reading of 36 about 9 a.m. was its lowest since April 17, according to Channel 2 Action News.

The temp should be at 46 at noon on the way to a high of 50. That’s about 18 degrees below average.

“It’s only going to get colder in the days ahead,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

A freeze warning is in place until 10 a.m. in several far north and northwest Georgia counties.

RELATED: More on the freeze warning

Sunday may be Veterans Day, but many Georgians will begin celebrating Saturday at the Atlanta Veterans Day Parade at 11:11 a.m. The parade will shut down several streets in downtown Atlanta. The parade's full route can be seen here.

This chilly weather also likely won’t deter college football fans from tailgating and rooting on their teams. Both Georgia and Georgia Tech have home games, while Kennesaw State and Georgia State travel out of state for their matchups.

Kennesaw State is heading to New Jersey to take on Monmouth at noon, and local weather reports show it won’t be too much colder than in Georgia. The high is expected to be 43 degrees.

Georgia State is heading in the opposite direction to take on Louisiana-Lafayette at 5 p.m. It should be in the low 50s around game time, according to local weather reports.

Georgia Tech hosts Miami at 7 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and UGA plays Auburn in Athens at the same time.

By the end of both games, the temperature will drop into the 40s, and a freeze watch spans most of North Georgia for Saturday night through Sunday morning.

The low 50s and chilly nights are expected to become the new normal next week, according to Channel 2. Sunday’s predicted high of 52 degrees should be the warmest Atlanta gets for a while.