Northwest Georgia will see plenty of sunshine and warmer temperatures today, with the dry weather expected to continue through much of the workweek before rain and thunderstorm chances return heading into the weekend.

The National Weather Service says a ridge of high pressure over much of the southern United States will expand across North and Central Georgia today. A relatively dry air mass will keep rain chances near zero across the area.

For Chattooga County and the surrounding area, today will be sunny with a high near 89 degrees. Southeast winds will be around 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Tonight will be mostly clear with a low around 67. Winds will become calm after midnight.

Temperatures will continue to climb Wednesday, with sunshine and a high near 91. While some isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms could begin developing across portions of Central Georgia Wednesday, North Georgia is expected to remain dry.

Thursday will bring another sunny and hot day, with a high near 92. Thursday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 70.

The weather pattern begins changing Friday as moisture increases ahead of a frontal boundary that is expected to remain north of Georgia. There will be a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon, with otherwise mostly sunny skies and a high near 92.

Rain chances increase for the weekend. Saturday carries a 50 percent chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 91. A 40 percent chance of showers and storms continues Sunday, with another high around 91.

Forecasters say the frontal boundary is now expected to stall farther north, keeping any significant cooler and drier air away from Northwest Georgia. Instead, temperatures will remain above normal and humidity will increase.

With dew points climbing to around 70 degrees or higher later in the week, heat index values could reach the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.

Rain and thunderstorm chances are expected to continue into Monday, but temperatures will remain warm, with a high near 90.