Chattooga County and the rest of Northwest Georgia are heading into a stretch of unseasonably warm weather this weekend, with temperatures expected to run 15 to 20 degrees above normal through Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Afternoon highs will climb into the low to mid 80s across the region, creating a much more summer-like pattern than what is typical for late March.

For most of the weekend, conditions across Chattooga County and much of Northwest Georgia will stay mostly dry, sunny, and warm. Breezy southwest winds are expected at times, with gusts generally around 10 to 15 miles per hour. The dry air in place should also help limit fog development overnight, keeping visibility conditions in better shape than usual for this time of year.

There is, however, a small chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday evening, mainly across parts of north and northeast Georgia. Forecasters say the overall storm chance remains low, under 20 percent, but any storm that is able to develop could produce wind gusts in the 40 to 50 mile per hour range. The greatest threat appears to be farther east and northeast of Chattooga County, but residents across Northwest Georgia should still stay alert for changing conditions late Saturday evening.

Looking ahead to early next week, another weather system is expected to bring a renewed chance of rain and isolated storms as a front pushes into north and central Georgia. Monday into Tuesday may feature scattered showers with a few thunderstorms possible, especially as warm temperatures and increasing moisture remain in place. Strong wind gusts would once again be the primary concern with any stronger storms that develop.

The main story through the first half of the week will continue to be the unusual warmth. High temperatures in the 80s are expected to remain in place for several days, making this feel much more like late spring or even early summer than the third week of March. While widespread severe weather is not expected at this time for Chattooga County, the combination of heat, breezy conditions, and periodic storm chances will make for an active weather pattern across Northwest Georgia.