GA Spring Forecast 2020 From Weather Service, Weather Channel

ATLANTA, GA — High temperatures have been fluctuating from the 60s to the 40s this week, but with March's arrival it's a good time to look ahead to what kind of spring Georgia faces: warm and dry or cool and continued rains? The National Weather Service and The Weather Channel have both released their long-range forecasts for the coming months.

The meteorologists at the National Weather Service say there are "elevated odds of below-normal temperatures for the central and southern Plains, Ohio Valley, Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions."

Spring officially begins Thursday, March 19. Georgia and the Southeast should gear up for a cool, soggy spring, according to the weather service. Which isn't good news when the Atlanta area has seen snow and spot flooding from heavy rains in February.

The historic average high temperature in Georgia on March 1 is 6 degrees, but the average climbs to 70 degrees by the end of the month. We'll see if that happens this year.

The experts at The Weather Channel say that weather in March could be similar to last year, which saw below-average temperatures in parts of the Northwest, Plains and portions of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, plus a powerful bomb cyclone, dubbed Winter Storm Ulmer.

Nationally, temperatures are expected to be below average from parts of the Dakotas to the upper Mississippi Valley, into the Tennessee Valley and north Georgia, The Weather Company reports. A widespread area from Montana eastward to the Great Lakes and into the Southern states will likely see temperatures near or slightly below average in March.

Most of the Northeast, as well as areas west of the Rockies, can expect temperatures near or slightly warmer than average, The Weather Company reports. The most above-average conditions will be found in Central and Southern California into southwestern Nevada and southwestern Arizona, the forecasters said.

The shift in forecast is due to a historically strong polar vortex that will persist into March, Dr. Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at The Weather Company, said in the report. The latest computer models suggest this March could be similar to last year’s, which saw below-average temperatures in parts of the Northwest, Plains and portions of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.

As we know, plenty can change in a weather forecast. Here's a look ahead to the next week:

Saturday Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 51. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 34. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 56. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 68. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 63. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Wednesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 59.