After a cold start this morning (a low of 31 at the Gainesville airport), things will warm up quickly with unseasonably warm temperatures and one of the warmest Christmases on record in Georgia.
“Pleasant weather conditions on tap this weekend for North and Central Georgia with warm and mostly dry conditions,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said Saturday morning. “One exception will be potential for a few areas of light rain Sunday morning across the western half of the area. Temperatures will trend warmer each day, with highs in the 60s.
“Looking ahead to next week, confidence continues to increase in much warmer than normal temperatures from Christmas through the end of the year, with high temperatures likely in the low to mid 70s. Drier than normal conditions are also favored.”
The Gainesville area 7-day forecast:
Today
Sunny, with a high near 56. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Calm wind.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 37. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 53. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Monday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Tuesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Christmas Day
Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 70.