Heat Wave Then Temps Dive Below Freezing: GA Weather Forecast

ATLANTA, GA — If you've busted out the turtlenecks and sweaters, you may have to wait a day or two to use them. Georgia's weather is about to whiplash folks this week, with abnormally warm temperatures and a chance of tornadoes, and then a blast of winter.

It's gonna be balmy Monday and Tuesday with highs in the 60s, then plunge to 27 degrees Wednesday night with a cold front and rain that will keep the weather seasonal. The dramatic temperature changes could bring hazards.

"A cold front will push through North and Central Georgia late tonight through tomorrow, sparking showers and storms," the National Weather Service said. "The greatest chance for a few strong to severe storms will be confined to western and northwestern Georgia (shaded in the darker green). The main threat will be damaging winds, though a brief/spin-up tornado cannot be ruled out."

Much of northern and central Georgia is under a hazardous weather outlook, including Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Fulton, Paulding counties.

There will be rain Saturday and Sunday with the rest of the week looking sunny or partly cloudy but dry for the holidays.

For Christmas, we are back to balmy with the highs in the 60s Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

The National Weather Service said the Atlanta area received snow on Dec. 15 in 2005 and 2010, so the forecast could be worse.

In 2010 the metro area saw its first white Christmas since the 1880s, according to The Weather Channel.

Forecast highs and lows for the week are:

Monday: 67 61

Tuesday: 64 31

Wednesday: 45 27

Thursday: 49 31

Friday: 50 38

Saturday: 53 39

Sunday: 58 40

Monday: 62 41

Christmas Eve: 64 42

Christmas Day: 62 45