Chattooga County is getting a welcome taste of fall this weekend, with sunshine, cooler temperatures and much lower humidity expected through Sunday.

The National Weather Service says a dry and mild air mass has settled across North Georgia, bringing mostly clear skies and temperatures closer to what many residents expect as September winds down.

Saturday will be sunny with a high near 80 degrees. A light north wind around 5 mph will help usher in the cooler, drier air.

Saturday night will be mostly clear and noticeably cool, with the temperature dropping to around 54 degrees. North winds could occasionally gust as high as 15 mph.

Sunday will bring another beautiful day, with sunshine and a high near 80. Sunday night could be even cooler, with a low around 52 degrees.

The National Weather Service says morning temperatures across much of North Georgia will fall into the low and middle 50s this weekend, while some higher elevations in the North Georgia mountains could reach the middle 40s.

The comfortable temperatures won’t last long, however.

A warming trend begins Monday with sunshine and a high around 84 degrees. Tuesday climbs to around 88, followed by highs near 89 degrees Wednesday and Thursday.

Despite those warmer afternoon temperatures, the air will remain unusually dry through the first part of the week, keeping rain chances near zero through Wednesday.

Moisture begins returning later in the week. There is a slight chance of showers Wednesday night and Thursday, with rain chances increasing to around 40 percent Friday.

The National Weather Service says temperatures next week could eventually run 5 to 12 degrees above normal, bringing a return to summer-like afternoon temperatures despite the fall-like start to the weekend.

For Saturday and Sunday, though, residents across Chattooga County can expect what may be some of the nicest weather we’ve seen in several weeks — sunny afternoons near 80 and cool nights in the lower to middle 50s.