751
FXUS62 KFFC 171816
AFDFFC

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
216 PM EDT Thu Sep 17 2026

...Morning Area Forecast Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...

  - Unseasonably warm conditions will continue through the
    weekend.

  - An upper level low over the eastern Gulf will increase
    moisture across the area resulting in a return of showers and
    scattered thunderstorms by Friday afternoon through this
    weekend.

  - Marginal Risk of isolated strong to severe thunderstorms
    tomorrow afternoon over north and central Georgia with strong
    gusty winds being the primary threat.


&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Friday)
Issued at 214 PM EDT Thu Sep 17 2026

North and Central Georgia will continue to experience hot and dry
conditions associated with an unseasonable upper level ridge
centered over the ArkLaTex region through Thursday night. Outside of
a few isolated showers or thunderstorms over our most northeastern
counties, most locations will remain precipitation free today. As
this ridge shifts to the west, the bulk of drier air aloft will also
retreat and allow for lee-side troughing along the Appalachians.
This will provide enough instability to aid in the development of
some diurnal shower and thunderstorm activity on Friday, propagating
out of the northeast from the Carolinas into our area by the
afternoon. Some of these storms could be strong to isolated severe
with damaging wind gusts the primarily threat, as they interact with
residual mid-level drier air and available CAPE, particularly over
the northeastern portions of our CWA. As such, the SPC has placed
our northern and eastern counties under a Marginal Risk for severe
weather, which aligns with ML medium range products indicating a
similar risk. Otherwise, storm coverage is not expected to be
widespread on Friday.

High temperatures will continue to be unseasonably warm, running 5-
10F above normal across the area today and slightly higher for
Friday. Temperatures will range from the upper 80s to low 90s today
and increase a couple of degrees areawide on Friday. Surface winds
will favor the east to northeast around 5-10mph with a few gusts up
to 20 mph, particularly over southern zones through the day before
becoming light and variable overnight. As the effects of the `wedge`
break down, winds will become more variable on Friday.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Saturday morning through next Wednesday)
Issued at 214 PM EDT Thu Sep 17 2026

The ridge is finally expected to break down Sunday into Monday as a
front approaches. Isolated thunderstorms will be possible on Sunday
afternoon, becoming more widespread on Monday but total rainfall is
expected to be less than an inch for much of the CWA through the
forecast period.

The front will bring afternoon thunderstorms back into the forecast
to start off next week. This will help to moderate temps down to the
upper 80s and low 90s. There are some signs that temps will drop
into the low 80s towards the end of next week as more dry air clears
out afternoon convection chances.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 125 PM EDT Thu Sep 17 2026

High pressure conditions will support prevailing VFR conditions
through the period. Patchy MVFR-IFR conditions are possible over
the northeast Georgia mountains after 07Z. Surface winds will
favor the east to southeast around 4-8kts with occasional gusts
up to 18kts over southern zones and will become light and variable
after sunset. An isolated shower or thunderstorm is possible over
the far northeast counties this afternoon, otherwise
precipitation chances are limited through the period.

//ATL Confidence...18Z Update...
High Confidence on all elements.

82

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          69  96  70  92 /   0  20  10  50
Atlanta         72  96  73  93 /   0  30  10  30
Blairsville     66  89  65  86 /   0  30  10  60
Cartersville    70  97  71  95 /   0  20  10  30
Columbus        69  96  72  95 /   0   0  10  40
Gainesville     71  95  71  91 /   0  30  10  60
Macon           66  95  70  94 /   0  10  10  40
Rome            70  97  70  96 /   0  10   0  20
Peachtree City  68  95  70  94 /   0  20  10  30
Vidalia         67  93  71  93 /   0   0  10  20

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...82
LONG TERM....Vaughn
AVIATION...82