Will GA Have A White Christmas: Frigid Wintry Weather Forecast

ATLANTA, GA — Thunderstorms are expected to hit Georgia late Wednesday night, with a wintry mix on Thursday in the forecast, but what are the odds for snow on Christmas? Temperatures are going to plunge about 30 degrees by Christmas Day, so precipitation that falls could be in the form of flakes.

"Widespread rain (heavy at times) will move thru north & central GA from west to east overnight tonight thru tomorrow (Thurs.) afternoon. A wintry mix will begin over portions of north GA tomorrow afternoon as cold air moves in & a transition to snow will occur by evening.," the National Weather Service said on Twitter Wednesday. "Flurries will be possible as far south as the Atlanta metro area. As far as accumulations, 1" to 1.5" of snow will be possible mainly across the higher terrain of north Georgia."

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the Atlanta region through Thursday saying isolated thunderstorms are possible after midnight across western parts of north and central Georgia. The primary threat will be occasional lightning and gusty winds.

Wintry precipitation is expected across portions of north Georgia Thursday afternoon and evening. Only light accumulations are expected except in the highest elevations of the north Georgia Mountains, where an inch or more accumulation is possible.

The hazardous outlook applies to many counties, including Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Oconee, and Paulding.

Technically, a white Christmas means an inch of snow on the ground to cover the grass, so that seems iffy at this point for Atlanta and its surburbs.

A nor'easter is brewing for Christmas Eve in the Northeast with rain and a flooding risk for most areas along the Eastern Seaboard, and even some thunderstorms, according to AccuWeather. "The storm is also expected to bring a brief period of snow at the tail end for some locations and a dramatic change to colder weather for all in its wake spanning Christmas Eve and Christmas Day."

The unsettled weather pattern later this week means cities including Atlanta and Orlando will turn colder much faster than Washington, D.C., AccuWeather said.

Temperatures are expected to plummet through the 30s and into the 20s in Atlanta on Christmas Eve. And even the high in Orlando on Friday may end up lower than the low temperature in Boston from Thursday night, with readings likely to be within a few degrees of 50 in both locations.

According to the Farmers’ Almanac, which recently released its annual Christmas weekend forecast, our state is in for a fair but unseasonably cold Yuletide. Frosts can be expected down to the Gulf Coast.

The fascination with a white Christmas was likely popularized by the writings of Charles Dickens. The depiction of a snow-covered Christmas season in his 1843 classic “A Christmas Carol,” and a number of his other short stories, was reportedly influenced by memories of his childhood.

The song, “White Christmas,” sung by Bing Crosby, is among the best-selling singles of all time. The tune nostalgically speaks of a white Christmas and has since become embedded in American holiday traditions.

Here's the forecast through the holiday weekend:

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Wednesday night: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 49. Southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 3pm, then showers likely. Temperature falling to around 41 by 5pm. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Thursday night: A chance of rain showers, snow showers, and sleet before 10pm, then scattered flurries between 10pm and 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Christmas Day: Sunny, with a high near 35. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 45.

Saturday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 53.

Sunday night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.