Hope everyone enjoys the warm weather, because the forecast is set to turn toward potential for severe weather as the week winds down, and temperatures are going to drop dramatically over the next 48 hours.
Don’t worry though, the National Weather Service in Peachtree City has an extended forecast that puts us right back into teases of spring by early this coming week.
Right now, the main concern is thunderstorms and gusty winds heading this way as fronts move through, and cold air rushes in its wake. Forecasts for the rest of the day have temperatures up to 74 for the day, but the winds are going to be gusty from here on out with 10 to 15 mph average for breezes, and 25 mph gusts expected.
The real concern is the forecast overnight. The warm weather here in Polk County and across the southeast is going to fuel thunderstorms heading this way and by tonight there’s a likelihood before 10 p.m. of chances for severe weather. Winds up to 30 mph gusts are possible, and storms are likely to leave behind around an inch of rainwater behind in their wake.
As well as a significant drop in temperatures. The forecast has the low down to 45 overnight.
Friday’s forecast has Polk County reaching 43 by the early evening hours, and going down from there. Chances of rain are still in the forecast, but mainly its going to be a blustery day with winds as high as 15 mph on average, and gusting up to 25 mph behind the gathering stormfront.
Look for a low around 26 on Friday night, with clear skies and still windy conditions, gusts up to 20 mph.
That makes a swing in temperatures once again this winter from the mid 70s down to the mid 20s within a 48 hour period, a change of 48 degrees in Polk County. This temperature swing is even more significant than what happened in December before Christmas, when an arctic mass settled over Polk County and much of the nation and brought the thermometer down to below freezing temps for several days.
Polk County saw a 41 degree change in temperature from that Thursday to Friday.
So far, no watches or warnings have been put in place due to the threat of severe weather this evening.
Check back for additional weather updates as needed throughout the evening hours.
