ATLANTA — The outdoor window is still open for one more day across most of North Georgia.
The National Weather Service Peachtree City Area Forecast Discussion issued at 3:05 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 25, leads with three key messages:
- Mostly dry for North Georgia, with only low thunderstorm chances across parts of south-central Georgia today.
- An approaching cold front will bring a return to scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms from Wednesday onward.
- Seasonal temperatures are largely expected through the week.
At issuance, the product listed no watches, warnings, or advisories.
Short term: another dry, lower-humidity day up north
The short-term section (issued 3:00 a.m. EDT) says today’s forecast is very similar to Monday. Rain and thunderstorm chances stay limited to parts of south-central Georgia this afternoon — Columbus to Macon southward — because a surface low skirting northeast into South Carolina gives a weak frontal boundary a slight northward nudge.
South of that boundary, plentiful moisture and instability support water-loaded downdrafts with any pulse storms, so strong gusty winds are a potential threat there. Farther north, high pressure across the Ohio and Tennessee Valley regions keeps conditions dry. Northwest flow aloft supports mixing again, with forecast highs in the 90s (5–10 degrees cooler in the mountains) and relative humidity in the 30–40% range across much of North Georgia.
On Wednesday, surface high pressure begins shifting east and moisture returns on increasing southerly flow. Rain and thunderstorm chances become more diurnally driven and spread farther north. Highs stay in the 90s, with dewpoints starting a slight upward trend.
Atlanta numbers in the AFD
Preliminary point guidance in the same discussion puts Atlanta near:
- Tuesday: high 94°F, low 72°F, rain chance about 0%
- Wednesday: high 92°F, low 71°F, rain chance about 40% Wednesday / 50% Wednesday night in the table pairing
Other sample Tuesday highs: Athens 93, Macon 95, Columbus 95, Peachtree City 94, Blairsville 86, Vidalia 95. Higher Tuesday PoPs in the table sit at Vidalia (50%), with Columbus and Macon near 20%.
Extended: active midweek, heavy-rain risk flagged
The longer-range section (issued 3:00 a.m. EDT) keeps models in generally good agreement through the weekend: troughing over the Southeast late week, then ridging building into the weekend.
Beginning Wednesday afternoon/evening, chance-to-likely PoPs prevail through Friday. Waves within the trough may enhance afternoon convection and allow isolated strong to severe storms. Models show a boundary developing over Georgia Wednesday night/Thursday morning as a main wave moves southeast out of the mid-Mississippi Valley into west Georgia; that boundary stays nearly stationary through Friday, so Thursday–Friday could be fairly active.
Precipitable water values near the boundary stay around the 2-inch range from late Wednesday through Saturday. NWS notes WPC has placed good portions of the state under a marginal risk of excessive rainfall for days 4 and 5, and says it would not be surprised if SPC later adds a Marginal severe risk closer to Thursday–Friday.
Moisture remains plentiful into the weekend, but a Bermuda ridge pushing back into the Southeast should help cap stronger/severe growth of diurnal storms Saturday–Sunday.
Climate check from Monday
The Atlanta climate summary issued 4:18 a.m. EDT Tuesday put Monday’s Hartsfield-Jackson high at 92°F (4 above normal) and low at 72°F, with 0.00" of rain. Month-to-date rainfall sat at 1.68" versus a 3.36" normal.
Aviation note
The 06Z aviation section expected VFR at all sites, with isolated showers/storms staying south of Columbus/Macon Tuesday afternoon and no impacts expected at ATL. Confidence on the ATL package was listed as high.
How to use this
This is a forecast discussion, not a storm survey. Treat Tuesday as the last dry, lower-humidity stretch for most of North Georgia in this package; treat Wednesday afternoon into Friday as the next window when daily rain chances, heavy-rain risk, and possible strong storms climb again.
Primary sources: NWS Peachtree City Area Forecast Discussion — 3:05 a.m. EDT Tue Aug. 25, 2026 · NWS Atlanta Climate Report — Aug. 24, 2026 (issued Aug. 25)