Atlanta weather forecast: Freezing cold snap kicks in overnight

ATLANTA - If you thought Saturday was cold, the FOX 5 Storm Team warns that it was just "the tip of the iceberg." For the next few days, things will continue to take an arctic plunge across the metro Atlanta area.

Temperatures on the evening of Nov. 30 were already in the 40s, with some areas dipping into the upper 30s. FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Jonathan Stacey predicts that overnight temperatures could drop into the 20s, with locations like Blairsville expecting a low of 21 degrees by Sunday morning.

The cold snap will be a shock for many metro Atlanta residents, so it's important to take winter weather precautions, such as bringing pets indoors and letting pipes drip to prevent them from freezing. Despite the settling winds, daily frost formation is likely due to the low moisture in the atmosphere.

RELATED: Georgia temperature drop: How to prevent pipes from bursting

As the City of Atlanta wakes up to 33 degrees Sunday morning, temperatures will rise to near 50 degrees by noon. High pressure to the south, pulling in northwesterly winds, will usher in cooler air over the next few days following the passage of a weather system across the lower Ohio River Valley.

While the system will bring rain to the Tennessee Valley, Atlanta is expected only to experience cloud cover without precipitation. The high mountains of northeast Georgia may see a flurry or two, but no significant snowfall is anticipated.

RELATED: Warming centers open across metro Atlanta as shot of arctic air drops temps below freezing

Don't expect any relief from the chill until about Wednesday when the high climbs back into the mid-50s. Unfortunately, that slightly warmer air comes with increased chances for rain to end the week.

Welcome to December.

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