First Alert Forecast: Rain Chances Climb Late This Week Into the Weekend

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Get ready for a weather flip. We start the stretch hot and dry, but a big pattern change is on the way that will bring back our rain chances — and with it, two First Alert Weather Days.

Tonight and Tomorrow: Still Hot and Dry, For Now

Winds go light tonight and should stay that way into tomorrow. Lows will only settle into the upper 60s to lower 70s, keeping alive that streak of overnight lows staying at or above 70 degrees at the Atlanta airport. Thursday still leans dry, but southerly winds start pulling more moisture into the area, so look for some morning fog and extra clouds building in ahead of the bigger changes to come.

That moisture return also means the mugginess creeps back in. With highs in the 90s and dewpoints climbing into the low-to-mid 70s, heat index values will flirt with the triple digits again — so keep the heat safety precautions in mind even while it’s still dry.

Back-to-back First Alert Weather Days

Friday has been upgraded to a First Alert Weather Day. Our atmosphere is setting up between a developing low pressure system to the west and high pressure sitting off the East Coast, and that combination is going to funnel a steady stream of Gulf moisture straight into Georgia.

That added moisture means scattered storms are looking increasingly likely Friday afternoon across Atlanta and points south, with coverage now trending closer to 50% and rising. Some of these storms could also produce heavy rainfall and isolated flash flooding. The good news: with a soggy atmosphere and not much wind shear to work with, severe weather isn’t the main concern. A few storms could still turn strong with gusty winds, but that’s more the exception than the rule.

The pattern holds into Saturday, when the atmosphere stays primed for widespread rain and potentially stronger storms. A few spotty showers are possible in the morning, but the better chance for showers and storms builds through the afternoon and evening — timing that could be a factor for outdoor plans, including the Georgia/Western Kentucky game and the Georgia Tech/Tennessee matchup, so it’s worth having a backup plan if you’re headed to either.

Heat Takes Back Over Next Week

A few lingering showers are possible Sunday as the system slowly pulls away, but attention quickly turns back to heat. Expect a warm, humid pattern to build right back in as we head into next week, with highs returning to the low-to-mid 90s Monday through Wednesday. Increased cloud cover could take the edge off by a degree or two on some days, but temperatures will stay above average.