375
FXUS62 KFFC 301758
AFDFFC
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1258 PM EST FRI JAN 30 2026
..NEW 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION
KEY MESSAGES
UPDATED AT 1248 PM EST FRI JAN 30 2026
- A WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF NORTHEAST
AND EAST-CENTRAL GEORGIA WHERE 2 TO 4 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW
AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE
TRAVEL CONDITIONS.
- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE
ATLANTA METRO AND PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST GA WHERE UP TO 2
INCHES OF SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DIFFICULT TRAVEL
CONDITIONS.
- DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS ARE EXPECTED ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL
GEORGIA THIS WEEKEND. AN EXTREME COLD WATCH IS IN EFFECT
SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR WIND CHILLS
RANGING FROM AS COLD AS TEN BELOW TO THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE
ZERO.
SHORT TERM
(TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 350 AM EST FRI JAN 30 2026
WINTER STORM TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY:
THE MAIN STORY OVER THE NEXT 24-48 HOURS WILL BE A WINTER STORM
MOVING ACROSS PORTIONS OF TN, GA, AND THE CAROLINAS AND LEAVING A
PATH OF SNOW IN ITS WAKE. THIS STORM IS BEING DRIVEN BY A FEW
FACTORS COMING TOGETHER JUST RIGHT, WITH THE BIGGEST BEING A VERY
ANOMALOUS UPPER LEVEL LOW DROPPING OUT OF CANADA ACROSS THE
MIDWEST US TODAY, BEFORE SWINGING OVER THE SOUTHEAST US TONIGHT
AND SATURDAY. AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW DESCENDS OUT OF CANADA, IT
WILL CLEAR A PATH FOR STRONG SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND AN ARCTIC
AIRMASS TO DROP RIGHT IN BEHIND IT. MEANWHILE, OUT AHEAD OF THE
UPPER LOW, A WEAK SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL SLIDE
ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TODAY. THESE FEATURES WILL ALL
START TO WORK TOGETHER TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY, AS THE COLD AIRMASS
WITH BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES SPREADS INTO THE SOUTHEAST US
UNDER THE CORE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW, AND THE SURFACE LOW BEGINS
TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY OFF THE GA/SC COAST. MOISTURE WRAPPING AROUND
THE STRENGTHENING COASTAL LOW WILL SPREAD OVER GEORGIA AND THE
CAROLINAS, COMBINING WITH LARGE SCALE ASCENT FROM THE UPPER LEVEL
LOW TO CREATE WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL ACROSS THE REGION. THIS
REGIONAL-LEVEL VIEW OF THE OVERALL METEOROLOGICAL SETUP IS
SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE IN. UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS WE ARE NOT AS CONFIDENT IN DUE TO THE
POTENTIAL VARIATIONS IN TRACK, SPEED, AND ORIENTATION OF THE
UPPER LEVEL LOW. ONE BIG QUESTION FROM THIS IS WHERE WILL THE
CUTOFF OF THE MOISTURE/SNOW BE OVER GEORGIA? GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO
SHOW THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO SEE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ARE
ACROSS NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL GEORGIA, WHERE A WINTER STORM
WARNING IS NOW IN PLACE. OVERALL, EXPECTING AROUND 2-4 INCHES OF
SNOW IN THIS AREA, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. WE COULD
SEE SOME INTENSE SQUALLS AND BANDING AT TIMES IN THIS CORRIDOR,
AS HIGH-RESOLUTION MODELS HAVE BEEN DEPICTING AREAS OF LOW-LEVEL
CONVERGENCE AND WEAK INSTABILITY. GIVEN THIS, IT WOULD NOT
SURPRISE ME AT ALL IF WE SAW SOME VERY LOCALIZED SPOTS GET OVER 6
INCHES OF SNOW. FURTHER WEST, CONFIDENCE BEGINS TO DECREASE IN HOW
MUCH MOISTURE WILL BE AROUND AND FOR HOW LONG. GUIDANCE HAS A BIT
MORE SPREAD ON THIS, BUT HAS AT LEAST 80% CHANCES FOR OVER A
TRACE OF SNOW ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL
GEORGIA, INCLUDING THE ATLANTA METRO. THESE AREAS HAVE BEEN PLACED
UNDER A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY, DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF
SNOWFALL, GUSTY WINDS, AND HAZARDOUS WIND CHILLS. CHANCES FOR OVER
2 INCHES OF SNOW ARE VERY LOW (UNDER 15%) FOR THESE AREAS, BUT
ARE STILL WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON AS THE EVENT GETS CLOSER. IN
BOTH THESE AREAS, TEMPERATURES WILL ALREADY BE IN THE 20S IF/WHEN
SNOW STARTS FALLING, SO TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL INSTANTLY
DETERIORATE AS THE SNOW WILL STICK TO ROADS AND OTHER SURFACES.
ADD IN BREEZY NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 20-30 MPH AND BRIEF PERIODS
OF LOW VISIBILITY WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. BOTTOMLINE, EVERYONE IN
NORTH AND EAST-CENTRAL GEORGIA NEEDS TO BE WEATHER AWARE TONIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING, AND DO THEIR BEST TO AVOID UNNECESSARY
TRAVEL.
DANGEROUS COLD AND WIND CHILLS:
THE OTHER NOTEWORTHY HEADLINE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS IN GEORGIA
WILL BE THE COLD TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILLS. THE AFOREMENTIONED
ARCTIC AIRMASS WILL PLUNGE ACROSS THE STATE TONIGHT AND OVER THE
WEEKEND, WITH TEMPERATURES RAPIDLY DROPPING FROM THE 40S AND 50S
THIS AFTERNOON, TO BELOW FREEZING OVERNIGHT. LOW TEMPS ON SATURDAY
MORNING WILL BE IN THE 20S IN NORTH GA, WITH BREEZY WINDS DROPPING
'FEELS-LIKE' TEMPERATURES ANOTHER 10-15 DEGREES. UNFORTUNATELY
THESE WILL NOT IMPROVE DURING THE DAY, AS HIGH TEMPS WILL STRUGGLE
TO CLIMB ABOVE 30 FOR MOST OF NORTH GA, AND 32-35 IN CENTRAL GA.
AN EXTREME COLD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTH AND
CENTRAL GEORGIA FOR SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING, AS
LOW TEMPS FALL TO THE LOW TO MID TEENS, AND BREEZY NW WINDS CREATE
'FEELS-LIKE' TEMPS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE AND BELOW ZERO.
LONG TERM
(SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 350 AM EST FRI JAN 30 2026
THE EXTENDED FORECAST BEGINS SUNDAY MORNING JUST BEHIND THE
EXITING WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM. TEMPS SUNDAY MORNING WILL BE FRIGID
WITH LOWS MAINLY IN THE TEENS ACROSS NORTH ANDS CENTRAL GA AND
SOME SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE NE GA MOUNTAINS. WITH MOSTLY CLEAR
SKIES SUNDAY TEMPS WILL RISE QUICKLY BUT THERE WILL STILL BE SOME
LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTH GA THAT DO NOT GET ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK.
AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 WILL GET ABOVE FREEZING WITH SOME
LOCATIONS ACROSS CENTRAL GA GETTING UP INTO THE LOWER 40S. TEMPS
SUN NIGHT/MON MORNING DIP BACK DOWN INTO THE TEENS AND 20S WITH
HIGHS MON REBOUNDING INTO THE 40S AND 50S STATE WIDE.
THINGS EXPECTED TO STAY FAIRLY CALM MONDAY AND TUESDAY WITH OUR
NEXT CHANCE OF PRECIP MOVING INTO THE AREA TUE NIGHT/WEDNESDAY.
THE NEXT WAVE TO AFFECT OUR AREA BEGINS DEVELOPING ALONG THE TX
GULF COAST MON NIGHT MOVING NE ACROSS THE MID TO LOWER MS RIVER
VALLEY BY TUES NIGHT. THIS WAVE DEVELOPS A CLOSED LOW CENTER ALONG
THE IL/IN/KY BORDERS BY 00Z-06Z WED WITH THE LOW CENTER TRACK
EAST INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES BY WED AFTERNOON. THE TRAILING
COLD FRONT PUSHES PRECIP INTO NW GA BY 06Z WED. SPREADING ACROSS
THE REST OF THE CWA BY DAYBREAK WED MORNING. TEMPS WED MORNING
WILL DIP INTO MID TO UPPER 30S SO WE COULD SEE SOME MIXED PRECIP
AT THE ONSET OF THIS SYSTEM. TEMPS CLIMB INTO THE 50S AND 60S WED
SO WE SHOULD SEE MAINLY SHOWERS WITH SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE. INSTABILITY
INDICES STAY FAIRLY WEAK SO NOT EXPECTING ANY SEVER STORMS. THIS
FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA WED NIGHT AS THE LOW
CENTER EXITS THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST. TEMPS DIP DOWN INTO THE LOWER
30S THU MORNING SO WE COULD SEE ANOTHER SHOT OF FREEZING OR
FROZEN PRECIP ACROSS THE NORTH GA MOUNTAINS FROM THE BACKSIDE
MOISTURE FROM THE MAIN LOW PRESSURE CENTER.
AVIATION
(18Z TAFS)
ISSUED AT 1248 PM EST FRI JAN 30 2026
INITIALLY VFR CONDS WITH CIGS AT 7-12KFT WILL GRADUALLY
DETERIORATE TO SCT TO BKN MVFR BY 06Z, AND FURTHER TO OVC MVFR BY
09Z. PDS OF IFR CIGS CANNOT BE RULED OUT DURING MOD PCPN. CHCS FOR
-SN BEGINS AS EARLY AS 08-09Z FOR NORTHERN TAF SITES, WITH PREVAILING
-SN BY 12Z. PDS OF MVFR VSBYS IN HEAVIER SN PSBL FROM 12-16Z, AND
LOW CONF BUT HIGH IMPACT CHCS FOR LIFR VSBYS IN SN/+SN IF
BANDING/SQUALLS DEVELOP -- CHCS CURRENTLY TOO LOW FOR TAF
MENTION. AHN IS MAY SEE INTERMITTENT PDS OF 1/2SM OR LOWER VSBYS
IN SN FROM 12-18Z. WINDS INITIALLY LIGHT/OCNL VRB WILL SWING NW
AND INCREASE THRU THE TAF PD. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 12-18KTS WITH
GUSTS TO 25-35KTS ARE POSSIBLE BEGINNING 12Z. CANNOT RULE OUT AN
ISOLATED GUST TO 35- 40KTS.
//ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE...
MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ALL ELEMENTS.
96
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
ATHENS 51 25 29 13 / 0 30 80 10
ATLANTA 50 23 27 14 / 0 20 40 0
BLAIRSVILLE 44 14 22 4 / 0 70 70 0
CARTERSVILLE 50 20 26 12 / 0 20 30 0
COLUMBUS 55 25 32 16 / 10 0 10 0
GAINESVILLE 48 24 28 13 / 0 40 70 0
MACON 56 27 33 15 / 0 0 40 0
ROME 53 22 29 16 / 0 20 30 0
PEACHTREE CITY 52 22 28 13 / 0 10 30 0
VIDALIA 60 33 40 18 / 0 0 40 10
FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST
SATURDAY FOR GAZ001>004-011-012-019.
EXTREME COLD WARNING FROM 7 PM SATURDAY TO 1 PM EST SUNDAY FOR
GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086-
089>098-102>113.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST SUNDAY
FOR GAZ005>009-013>016.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR
GAZ020-030-031-041>043-052>054-056-066>071-081>083-094>096-107-
109>113.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 1 AM SATURDAY TO 1 AM EST SUNDAY FOR
GAZ021>025-027-032>039-044>051-055-057>062-072>076-084>086-097-
098.
SHORT TERM...CULVER
LONG TERM....01
AVIATION...96
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