Georgia is on high alert as an impending winter storm approaches, and while much of North Georgia will see frozen precipitation over the next 48 hours, Northwest Georgia’s risk remains lower than areas to the east. Expect cloudy skies and periods of light rain today, a brief wintry mix potential Saturday morning before changing back to rain, the highest concern for freezing rain Saturday night into Sunday morning (especially on Lookout Mountain), and then the bigger story: bitterly cold Arctic air arriving to start next week.

Today will stay mostly cloudy with highs in the 40s. That matches what we typically see along a front draped across the region, with low-level moisture feeding in light rain this morning. Cloud cover will persist through the day, but the light rain should become more isolated as drier air works in aloft.

By Saturday morning, moisture advection begins in earnest, overrunning a cool and relatively dry surface airmass—one supported by arctic high pressure edging in from the north and a developing “wedge” (cold air damming) pressing in from the east. Forecast soundings, drawn from a blend of global, regional, and higher-resolution guidance, show saturation developing in the dendritic growth zone (where ice crystal formation is maximized), while comparatively drier air lingers in the mid and lower levels. That setup favors evaporative cooling through the column, which can briefly support a mix of precipitation types across North Georgia early to mid-morning, before temperatures rise above freezing late morning into mid-afternoon Saturday. At this time, the forecast calls for a slight chance of snow showers and freezing rain before 10 AM, followed by rain showers becoming likely. Skies remain cloudy with a high near 44, with a north wind of 5 to 10 mph becoming easterly in the afternoon and gusts that could reach 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%, with little to no ice or snow accumulation expected.

The most likely window for meaningful frozen precipitation in our area—whether sleet, freezing rain, or snow—continues to focus on Saturday night into Sunday morning as temperatures hover near the freezing mark. Saturday night is expected to bring a significant amount of precipitation, falling as rain or freezing rain, with lows around 33. East winds near 10 mph may gust as high as 25 mph, and the chance of precipitation rises to 100%.

As usual, the higher elevations will tell a different story than the valleys. Mentone, Alabama, Cloudland, and communities along Lookout Mountain can expect a colder profile, and residents there should be prepared for a greater risk of significant freezing rain from Saturday night into Sunday morning.

By Sunday morning, temperatures across much of Northwest Georgia should sit around 30 to 33 degrees. Sunday is expected to feature cold, wet rain—heavy at times—with precipitation chances remaining at 100%. Sunday night, moisture begins to pull away, and while a slight chance of lingering rain or freezing rain remains, additional impacts should be limited.

Perhaps the biggest weather news for Northwest Georgia from this weekend system won’t be the wintry precipitation at all, but the arrival of bitterly cold arctic air to start the workweek. Monday is expected to be mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 23. Monday night turns mostly clear with a low around 7. As we move through the rest of next week, daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the 30s, with overnight lows settling into the mid to upper teens.