The threat of freezing rain -- and therefore ice accumulation -- remains high for North Georgia, including Metro Atlanta.
High-resolution data is starting to filter in, and the National Weather Service may expand the Winter Storm Watch into the heart of the Atlanta area sometime Thursday afternoon.
Below is an early look for what Metro Atlanta can expect for this weekend.
Temperature Trend: Watching ‘The Wedge’
Below is the Futurecast Temperature animation for the surface temperatures this weekend.
The big question with the forecast for this weekend is how strong will the cold air damming along the Appalachian Mountains will be.
Also known as “The Wedge”, this cold air mass sliding down the Mountains will freeze any liquid rain and turn it into freezing rain.
This will impact what kind of precipitation is falling through Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Precipitation Trend: Watching The Change-Over
The animation below illustrates the Futurecast Radar between 6pm Saturday and 7am Sunday morning.
Notice that the green “rain” transitions over to a pink “freezing rain”, which means the rain freezes on contact with the ground.
Accumulation Trend: How Much and Where?
Below illustrates the Futurecast Total Freezing Rain through Sunday afternoon.
As much as 0.25 inches of ice accumulation is possible inside the Perimeter, with over 0.50 inches of ice accumulation along I-575, GA 400, I-85, and I-985 towards Gainesville and Lake Lanier.
Bottom Line: Plan for Slick Travel and Widespread Power Outages
Continue to monitor the weather forecast for this weekend and have a plan to stay in place Saturday night through mid-day Sunday.
Be sure to keep your cellphone, tablets, and other digital devices charged as we approach Saturday night and into Sunday morning in the event power outages become widespread.
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