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Winter storm watch issued for most of metro Atlanta

Will it snow this time in the metro area?  Well, maybe, but it’s complicated.

“This will be a very tricky one,” WSB meteorologist Kirk Mellish says. “The forecast can change every couple hours in this type situation.”

Right now Mellish’s forecast calls for a Winter Storm watch for tomorrow into early Wednesday along and south of a line from Dallas to Commerce.  Estimated amounts of a dusting or less in the far north suburbs, up to an inch in the heart of Atlanta and one to two inches far south suburbs.  Confidence is growing that there will be snow, sleet and freezing rain somewhere in Georgia mid-day Tuesday and ending pre-dawn Wednesday, but there will be an unusually  sharp cut off between significant snow and little or none in a northwest to southeast fashion.  The heaviest---three to four inches looks to be Columbus to Augusta.

“The cut off to the snow line could be extremely sudden where locations only 25-35 miles apart see as much as 4 inches difference in snowfall, meaning 1-4 or zero,” says Mellish. “There is a huge bust potential in this tricky forecast because we haven't seen one quite like this in decades so neither meteorologists nor computers have experience with this type pattern.”

The cold air arrives for everyone Monday evening. There will be some sun and clouds during the day. Some spotty drizzle is possible, says Mellish. Highs will be lowers 50s with lows 18-to-24.

The bone-chilling cold stays in place for Tuesday. Highs will only reach near 35 overnight lows 19-24.

Mellish says Wednesday will be mostly dry, but if there is any precipitation on the ground it won’t have much time to melt. Highs will only reach 34, with lows 15-to-18.

But the warming trend will arrive by the end of the week. Mellish calls for highs Thursday around 44 and 52 by Friday. Lows will be anywhere from 24-to-37.

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