GA Weather: 90 Degrees Then Rainy Start To Mother's Day Weekend

GEORGIA — Atlanta could hit 90 degrees Thursday for the first time this year, before rain dampens the start to the Mother's Day weekend, and then fades to a string of sunny, hot days.

The up and down forecast begins with heat, then a chance for scattered thunderstorms, some of which could be strong to severe, on Friday afternoon and evening, the National Weather Service said. The primary threats are damaging wind gusts and hail.

The earliest the city reached 90 degrees was April 23, 1980, said Brian Monaham at WSB.

"Scattered strong and severe storms are possible late tomorrow morning into the afternoon as a strong cold front moves in," Monahan tweeted Thursday.

The region faces smaller thunderstorm chances Thursday afternoon compared to Wednesday with less moisture available initially, the National Weather Service said. "The downside is that temperatures will be even higher, with highs reaching into the upper 80s into the mid-90s in central Georgia, well above normal for early May."

A storm system will soak the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states Friday and Saturday, Accuweather said, then stall just off the Eastern Seaboard next week and cause gusty winds and rough surf to spread to Georgia and the rest of the Southeast.

"The storm's proximity and strength will determine how extensive and rough coastal conditions are from New Jersey to Florida," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said, adding that "the rain could help ease abnormally dry to severe drought conditions from the coastal areas of the Carolinas to southeastern Georgia."

Here's the full weekend weather forecast for Georgia:

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 9am. High near 78. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 81.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 83.