A weakening line of gusty showers pushed through Northwest Georgia overnight, dropping roughly a quarter to a half inch of rain before a cold front swept the moisture out of the region. In Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia, Friday turns noticeably drier and cooler with clear skies returning by sunrise and brisk northwest winds keeping afternoon highs in the upper 40s to low 50s.

Tonight, clearing skies and easing winds will allow temperatures to tumble into the upper 20s to low 30s—coldest in sheltered valleys and rural spots. The chill won’t last long, though. High pressure shifts east on Saturday, winds turn southerly, and a warming trend begins under mostly clear skies. Highs rebound into the upper 50s to low 60s, setting up a comfortable weekend, with Sunday expected to be even nicer.

Looking ahead, the forecast stays generally dry as a strong ridge builds over the Southeast. Temperatures steadily climb through next week, and by Christmas Day, Northwest Georgia could see highs in the low to mid 70s—well above normal for late December. Overnight lows improve too: near-freezing early in the week, then trending into the 40s and 50s later on.