Residents across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia are enjoying a warm and dry start to the week as partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures settle in, according to the latest forecast. Monday is shaping up to be the coolest day of the week, with afternoon highs reaching the mid to upper 50s locally, before temperatures trend sharply upward.

High pressure moving across the Southeast is allowing much warmer air to build into the region, bringing very mild conditions through Christmas week. By Tuesday and beyond, highs across Northwest Georgia are expected to climb into the upper 60s and even low 70s, well above normal for late December.

Forecasters say the warm pattern will hold through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with temperatures within a few degrees of record highs. Rain chances remain low for most of the week, though a slight chance of light showers may develop late Friday and again Sunday as weak cold fronts move through the region. Any rainfall is expected to be minimal.

The unusually warm and mostly dry stretch is welcome news for holiday travel and outdoor plans across the area, WZQZ.