GA Spring Forecast: Snow Risk Is Gone

GEORGIA — While we can still see some cool mornings, Sunday officially ushered in the first day of spring that could be warmer and drier than normal in Georgia, according to the National Weather Service.

The long-range forecast from NOAA calls for a dry spring for much of the country, with a worsening drought. Short-term drought recently developed from North Carolina to Florida.

The vernal equinox happens at 11:33 a.m. ET and marks the instant the sun shines directly on the Earth's equator, USA Today said.

Each day for the next three months, the amount of daylight increase until the summer solstice on June 21.

It should be safe for Georgians to pack away their snow gear, Accuweather said Friday.

"We do feel that anywhere from Philadelphia southward to D.C. and into the Carolinas and the Gulf Coast is pretty much safe," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said. The region likely won't see "snowfall for the rest of the season.”

NOAA issued its U.S. spring outlook Friday and for the second year in a row, forecasters predict prolonged, persistent drought in the West, where below-average precipitation is most likely.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center — part of the National Weather Service — is also forecasting above-average temperatures for most of the U.S. from the Desert Southwest to the East Coast and north through the Midwest to the Canadian border from April to June.

Above-average precipitation is most likely in portions of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and the mid-Atlantic.

“NOAA’s spring outlook helps build a more weather and climate ready nation by informing local decision makers and emergency managers of this spring’s hazardous weather, such as extreme drought,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide advanced warning of the conditions to come, enabling communities to make preparations that boost their resilience to these hazards.”

Nearly 60 percent of the continental U.S. is in the midst of minor to exceptional drought conditions, the largest drought coverage seen in the U.S. since 2013, the agency said.

There is a minor-to-moderate flood risk throughout much of the eastern half of continental U.S., including the Southeast, Tennessee Valley, lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and portions of the Great Lakes, upper Mississippi Valley, and middle Mississippi Valley.

Here's the latest Atlanta-area forecast:

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 42. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73.

Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 60%.