625
FXUS62 KFFC 230717
AFDFFC

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
217 AM EST Tue Dec 23 2025

...Morning Area Forecast Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 135 AM EST Tue Dec 23 2025

 - Gradually clearing skies today with highs in the upper 60s.

 - Very warm and mostly dry conditions prevail through the rest of
   the week into the weekend, with potential record warmth from
   Wednesday through Saturday.

 - Next chance for rain across the area will be Sunday, ahead of a
   potentially strong cold front.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Wednesday)
Issued at 135 AM EST Tue Dec 23 2025

Today will be the start of a potentially record warm stretch of
weather that will last into the start of the weekend. The primary
driver of this pattern is expansive mid-level ridging starting
build across most of the central and southern US. Downstream of
the ridge, a weak system moving across the Northeast US will
kick surface high pressure from over the Carolinas southwest
across Georgia, settling over the northern Gulf by this evening.
Low to mid level winds over Georgia will flip to out of the west-
southwest in response, ushering in a much warmer airmass. Mid-
level moisture also increases with this airmass, which is already
being realized as most of the area is covered with low to mid-
level stratus. Remnant shallow dry air will prevent moisture/rain
from reaching the ground for most of the area, but a few sprinkles
cannot be ruled out, and there is a slight chance (10-20%) for
light rain showers in far north GA. Clouds will gradually thin out
during the day, with afternoon temperatures surging into the
upper 60s to low 70s. Overnight into Wednesday morning, the
combination of mostly clear skies, light winds, and increasing
low-level moisture could lead to areas of dense fog developing,
with the best chances across south-central GA and the north GA
mountains.

On Wednesday, the strong and expansive ridge will continue to
build over the region, reinforcing a much warmer than normal
airmass in north and central Georgia. How warm you ask? Low temps
in the morning (low to mid 50s) and high temps in the afternoon
(mid to upper 70s) will be around 17-20 degrees warmer than normal
for this time of year. These are typical temperatures for early to
mid October! Skies will be mostly clear with no rain chances
across much of the area, but mid-level moisture will be higher in
northwest GA and lead to partly to mostly cloudy skies.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday night through Monday)
Issued at 135 AM EST Tue Dec 23 2025

Thursday (Christmas Day) through Saturday:

Anomalously warm temperatures will be with us during the latter
half of the week into the first part of the weekend (including on
Christmas Day). High temperatures at our four main climate sites
(Atlanta, Athens, Macon, and Columbus) are likely to at least come
within a couple degrees of record highs, if not meet or exceed
them by a degree or two. This means high temperatures in the 70s
essentially area-wide, with 60s in the highest elevations of north
Georgia. Overnight/early morning lows will also be unseasonably
warm -- generally in the 50s. Conditions will be dry with just a
slight chance (up to 15% for now) for light showers across far
north Georgia with a passing mid-level shortwave trough and
accompanying moisture.

Changes on the Way for Sunday:

The stout mid-/upper-level ridge that will have brought the very
warm, dry weather earlier in the week will have largely broken
down by Saturday night as a more progressive pattern takes hold
aloft. Ensemble guidance suggests that joining of the subtropical
and polar jet streams could bring a jet streak across the Great
Lakes and Ohio River Valley on Sunday. A resulting surface low
will bring a cold front across the Mississippi River Valley,
supporting the potential (20% to 40% chance at this time) for
showers across much of north and central Georgia. At this time,
leaving mention of thunder out of the forecast, as we will need to
see if instability is realized at all in the "warm sector" ahead
of the cold front.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1212 AM EST Tue Dec 23 2025

Widespread VFR CIGs of 040-080 have spread across the region. These
will remain in place through the night, with some potential for
MVFR impacts during the morning hours. Also can`t rule out some
brief sprinkles or light rain. Clouds will be slow to lift and
clear on Tuesday across metro sites, but should become FEW-SCT by
18Z. SE winds around 3-5 kts weaken to near calm through the rest
of the night, and then turn SW at 4-9 kts by 16Z.

//ATL Confidence...06Z Update...

Medium in CIGs through Tuesday AM. High on all others elements.

Culver

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          66  52  75  53 /   0   0   0  10
Atlanta         68  54  73  55 /   0   0   0  10
Blairsville     62  49  67  50 /  10  10   0  20
Cartersville    69  52  73  52 /   0   0   0  10
Columbus        70  49  77  52 /   0   0   0   0
Gainesville     64  53  73  54 /   0   0   0  10
Macon           69  50  77  52 /   0   0   0  10
Rome            70  55  76  55 /   0   0  10  10
Peachtree City  70  50  75  52 /   0   0   0  10
Vidalia         72  52  78  53 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...Culver
LONG TERM....Martin
AVIATION...Culver