Second Arctic Blast arrives in Metro Atlanta this weekend

Keep the winter jackets handy and the water faucets dripping, because ANOTHER blast of Arctic air will arrive early Friday morning!

Frozen precipitation is not a concern in the Metro Atlanta area this time around, as rain showers will move through the region late Thursday night into early Friday morning -- temperatures will be in the low 40s as the rain showers move through.

Futurecast Radar through Friday Morning Futurecast Radar through Friday Morning

If travel plans take you to the Northeast Georgia Mountains, some areas of freezing rain are possible, especially in higher elevations (2,000 feet and above). For that reason, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect through 7am Friday for Gilmer, Fannin, Lumpkin, Union, Towns, White, and Rabun counties. This Winter Weather Advisory includes the cities of Ellijay, Dahlonega, Helen, and Blue Ridge, but the areas of concern are mainly in higher elevations.

Winter Weather Advisory through Friday Morning

Another Hard Freeze for Metro Atlanta

No matter where you are located in North Georgia, another round of bitter cold air is in the forecast this weekend!

Friday morning temperatures will start in the low 40s, but they will not recover through the afternoon -- the Arctic cold front will sweep through midday, and temperatures will tumble into the teens by Saturday morning.

The animation below illustrates the Futurecast temperatures through this weekend.

Futurecast Temperatures This Weekend (January 19-20) Futurecast Temperatures This Weekend (January 19-20)

Winds will remain rather high Friday and Saturday, which will make for very low wind chill values.

The animation below illustrates the Futurecast wind chill values through this weekend.

Futurecast Wind Chills This Weekend (January 19-20) Futurecast Wind Chills This Weekend (January 19-20)

Monitoring the 4-Ps: Pipes, Pets, Plants, and People

Frigid temperatures pose a great risk to the 4-Ps, and it’s best to mitigate cold-weather impacts as early as possible.

Pipes: Let the faucets drip in both the hot and cold water taps as soon as possible, continuing into late Thursday morning. Running water takes longer to freeze over compared to still water, and you may prevent thousands of dollars in frozen pipe damage by allowing the faucet to drip. Also open the cabinet doors to allow warmer air to flow around the pipes. Make sure garden hoses are disconnected from your home as well.
Pets: Even with a fur coat, animals are susceptible to cold temperatures. Do not leave pets outdoors when the temperatures drop below 32 degrees -- they can suffer from frostbite, or even succumb to hypothermia. Make sure adequate shelter is provided for outdoor pets and animals.
Plants: Plants that are not cold hardy will need to be covered and protected.
People: Anyone working outdoors will need to monitor for both frostbite and hypothermia. In addition, very young and very elderly people are more susceptible to extreme temperatures. Individuals with circulatory issues will also need to check for cold fingers, toes, ears, and nose, since these areas may freeze due to poor heat circulation within the body.

Prepare for Dangerously Low Wind Chills

Cold temperatures by themselves are tough enough, but with wind gusts as high as 20 to 30 mph, the “feels like” wind chill temperatures will be even lower -- near zero degrees early Saturday morning!

Wind chill values this low are dangerous for anyone spending more than 15 minute outside, particularly if they are not prepared for the weather and lack warm clothing.

As a result, hypothermia can set in, causing body temperatures to drop to dangerous levels. “Body temperature that is too low affects the brain, making the victim unable to think clearly or move well,” states the CDC. “This makes hypothermia especially dangerous, because a person may not know that it’s happening and won’t be able to do anything about it.”

Science of Wind Chill (Courtesy: NOAA/NWS)

When Do We Finally Thaw Out?!

This is the South! It’s supposed to be warm, even in the winter -- right?!

Be aware that Atlanta is not immune to super cold temperatures, though average temperatures in January include morning lows in the 30s and afternoon highs in the 50s.

The weather pattern will change next week as the “January Thaw” takes place -- expect temperatures to climb into the upper 60s to low 70s by the end of next week!