Northwest Georgia will enjoy dry and mild conditions to end the weekend and begin the new work week, but forecasters say rain is set to make a return by mid-week, bringing a noticeable shift in temperatures for Chattooga County and the surrounding region.

High pressure over the Southeast and a drier northwesterly flow in the atmosphere are keeping conditions calm today and Monday. Skies will be mostly clear across Chattooga County, and temperatures will remain unseasonably warm for late November. Highs today and Monday are expected to reach the upper 60s to low 70s, with morning lows in the 40s to near 50 degrees, which is 8 to 16 degrees above average for this time of year.

Any lingering fog early this morning has stayed mainly south of the area and will quickly mix out as temperatures rise.

The warmer-than-normal pattern continues into early Tuesday, but changes arrive as a low-pressure system approaches from the Mississippi Valley, pushing a surge of moisture into Northwest Georgia. Rain is expected to begin as early as Tuesday morning, spreading across the region through Tuesday afternoon and night.

Forecasters say the system will produce steady rain and occasional thunderstorms, but widespread severe weather is not expected. Some breezy winds and heavier pockets of rain may develop, especially in the higher elevations of Northwest Georgia.

Rainfall totals will vary widely across the state. North Georgia — including Chattooga County — could see between 0.75 and 2 inches of rain, while areas south of I-85 may see less than half an inch.

The rain continues through Wednesday before a cold front clears the region late in the day. Behind the front, a cooler and drier air mass will settle into Northwest Georgia for Thanksgiving and the end of the week. High temperatures will fall into the 50s and low 60s, with overnight lows dropping to near freezing by Thursday night.

This week’s warm start and cooler finish mark the transition into a more seasonable late-November pattern across Chattooga County and the rest of Northwest Georgia.

oday
Sunny, with a high near 69. North wind around 5 mph.
Tonight
Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Monday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Monday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10am, then showers between 10am and 1pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. High near 69. South wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Tuesday Night
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday
A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 66.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 35.
Thanksgiving Day
Sunny, with a high near 52.