229
FXUS62 KFFC 232334
AFDFFC

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
734 PM EDT Wed Sep 23 2026


...New 00Z Aviation Discussion...

.KEY MESSAGES...

  - A much cooler airmass will start to spread into the area Today,
    and will remain in place through the weekend.

  - A few strong thunderstorms may occur this evening across far
    North GA, with widespread low clouds across the rest of the
    area.

  - Rain chances drop to near zero from Thursday through the
    weekend.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Thursday)
Issued at 143 PM EDT Wed Sep 23 2026

Main story will be the strong wedge setting up across the region
ushering in the long awaited first taste of fall. Sub 60 dewpoints
now being observed in south carolina and should be advecting into
the state through the evening into Thursday with 40`s dewpoints
on the map, yes, thats right, 40`s dewpoints, in the area by
Friday AM.

In the mid levels, ridging that has dominated our area is being
pushed back into the southern plains while NW flow sets up across
the east on the western side of an upper low developing over the
Carolinas. That low is helping to wrap a much cooler and drier
airmass southward along the appalachians stemming from a strong
surface ridge over New England. The end result...strong surface
wedging for us stays in place a few days with much much cooler air
along with some low clouds for a few days. Moisture profile
suggests clouds should linger most of the day tomorrow into Friday
and hinder daytime max temps with 70`s generally areawide on Thur
and even some 60s for highs in the higher elevations. After today,
pops diminish to near zero with the cooler drier airmass in place.
Forecast min temps friday AM drop into the 50s which should that
occur at ATL, would be the first 50s temp since June 3.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Friday morning through next Tuesday)
Issued at 143 PM EDT Wed Sep 23 2026

As the long-term period begins, our area remains situated between
the eastern periphery of a retreating mid-to-upper level ridge over
southern Texas and a strengthening coastal low shifting
northeastward. At the surface, the wedging pattern over our area
will begin to break down on Friday as northeast winds become more
variable under relative high pressure. The sensible weather impacts
of this pattern will be continued drier and cooler conditions under
strong subsidence through the weekend as a Canadian airmass is cut
off and shifted toward our area along the backside of the low. As a
result, expect more seasonable early fall temperatures, with highs
ranging from the low 70s over our mountain counties to the low-to-
mid 80s across the rest of the CWA through the weekend. Morning lows
will dip into at least the mid-to-upper 50s over the bulk of our
area through early next week. As an aside, the last time the Atlanta
Metro dropped into the 50s for morning lows was June 3rd, so this
cooler air is a welcomed addition to the long-term forecast.

With drier conditions in place, precipitation chances remain limited
through the middle of next week, capped at around 10% for isolated
convection areawide. By late next week, PWAT values and rain chances
will be on the increase as surface winds shift to the south ahead of
a potential approaching cold front.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 725 PM EDT Wed Sep 23 2026

MVFR cigs will continue to overspread TAF sites this evening with
IFR cigs increasingly likely at ATL sites by 06Z and AHN as early
as 04Z. Cigs will be slow to improve to MVFR by around 18Z
Thursday with some breaks possible by 21-23Z. Winds will remain E
at 8-13 kts.


//ATL Confidence...00Z Update...
High confidence.

RW

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          60  71  55  78 /  20  10   0   0
Atlanta         64  74  59  78 /  10   0   0   0
Blairsville     56  70  54  74 /  50  50  10   0
Cartersville    63  77  59  78 /  20   0   0   0
Columbus        67  80  60  81 /  10   0   0   0
Gainesville     61  72  57  78 /  20  10   0   0
Macon           66  76  59  79 /   0   0   0   0
Rome            62  78  59  79 /  40   0  10   0
Peachtree City  63  75  56  79 /  10   0   0   0
Vidalia         67  78  60  79 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...30
LONG TERM....82
AVIATION...RW