Heavy winds are expected to hit with severe weather on Monday in portions of Georgia, while more downpours are anticipated to target metro Atlanta later in the week.
Also, weather officials have released a mid-month outlook that favors more dry weather amid severe drought levels in Georgia.
Patch spoke with Ty Vaughn, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Peachtree City office. Vaughn said Monday's storms are predicted to slam areas south of Interstate 16, far southeast of Atlanta.
Pea-sized hail and up to 60 mph winds may accompany the storms, according to the NWS.
Though Vaughn said storms are not in Monday's forecast for metro Atlanta, he said the area could experience few afternoon showers and thunderstorms Wednesday.
The NWS on Saturday released a mid-May outlook, which shows below-average precipitation Friday-Tuesday in Georgia. This comes after a burst of wildfires and a period of much-needed rain in the Peach State.
"This does not guarantee that we will be rain-free during mid-May. ... Drought conditions will persist, even in spite of recent wet weather," the NWS reported.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor on Monday, south Georgia resumed exceptional drought status while metro Atlanta and other areas are facing extreme drought levels.
After Tuesday, scattered thunderstorms could roll into metro Atlanta through the end of May, the Old Farmer's Almanac reported in a 60-day long-range forecast.
Temperatures will remain around average, which is 72 degrees, while rain accumulation could be an inch above average at 5 inches.
Storms could continue through June 10 before sunny conditions temporarily return mid-month ahead of more storms between June 24 and June 30.
"Summer will be warmer than normal, with the hottest periods in early to mid-June and early and late July. Rainfall will be below normal in the north and above south. Watch for a tropical storm in late June and a hurricane in mid-August. September and October temperatures and precipitation will be below normal," the Old Farmer's Almanac previously reported for the Southeast.
Here is the National Weather Service's early Monday afternoon forecast for metro Atlanta:
This Afternoon: Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind 5-10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind 5-10 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 77. East wind 5-10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. South wind 5-10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 54.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 81.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 90.
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