Honestly, if you’re trying to plan a weekend trip to Piedmont Park or just wondering if you need to wrap your pipes, the atlanta georgia extended forecast can feel like a riddle. One day it's 50 degrees and sunny, and the next, everyone is panic-buying bread because a single snowflake was spotted on a radar in Alabama.
It's January 16, 2026, and Atlanta is doing that thing it does best: being completely unpredictable.
The Immediate Outlook: A Weekend of Whiplash
If you're looking at the next few days, keep your layers handy. Today started off gorgeous—sunny with a high of 50°F. But don't let that fool you. As we head into tonight, the clouds are moving in, and there's a 65% chance of light rain with temperatures bottoming out at a biting 23°F.
That’s a 27-degree drop. Welcome to the South.
Tomorrow, Saturday, January 17, stays pretty gray. We’re looking at a high of 50°F again, but with a 35% chance of rain during the day. By Saturday night, the humidity jumps to 62%, and there’s even a slight 10% chance of snow flurries as the low hits 30°F. It probably won't stick, but it'll definitely be enough to make the local news go into "Winter Storm Watch" mode.
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Why the Atlanta Georgia Extended Forecast is Shifting
You’ve probably heard meteorologists like Melissa Nord over at 11Alive talking about the weak La Niña influence this year. Usually, La Niña means a warmer, drier winter for Georgia. But 2026 is proving that "usual" is a relative term.
While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) originally predicted a milder season, we’re seeing a significant "Arctic advection" (that's just science-speak for a giant polar air mass) pushing down into the Southeast.
Check out the trend for the next week:
- Sunday, Jan 18: Sunny but cold. High of 37°F.
- Monday, Jan 19 (MLK Day): Crisp and bright. High of 45°F, low of 23°F.
- Tuesday, Jan 20: The coldest day in the stretch. A high of only 36°F and a bone-chilling low of 21°F.
Basically, if you have outdoor plants that aren't fans of the freezer, you've gotta get them inside by Sunday night.
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The Snow Question: Will We Actually See It?
The Farmers’ Almanac and the science-heavy guys at the Climate Prediction Center are actually in a bit of a spat right now. The Almanac predicted "average temperatures with many wet periods," but the actual data for late January is showing a moderate risk of much below-normal temperatures.
Specifically, between January 23 and January 25, there’s a "slight risk of heavy snow" for the Southern Appalachians that could easily clip the northern Atlanta suburbs. On Thursday, Jan 22, the current forecast calls for a 45% chance of rain and snow with a high of 51°F.
Wait, 51 degrees and snow?
Yeah, that’s the "Atlanta Special." It usually means a cold, miserable slush that turns into a sheet of ice the moment the sun goes down and the temperature hits 36°F.
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Planning for February and Beyond
If you can make it through this January chill, the long-range outlook for February 2026 looks a bit more forgiving. We’re expecting temperatures to trend about 4° above average, with highs climbing back into the mid-50s and even 60s.
But for now, the atlanta georgia extended forecast suggests we’re in the thick of the coldest stretch of the year. Historically, January 23 is the coldest day on record for the city, and 2026 seems determined to honor that tradition.
What you should actually do right now:
- Drip those faucets: When the low hits 21°F on Tuesday night, your pipes are at risk.
- Check your tires: Cold air makes tire pressure drop. If your "low pressure" light isn't on yet, it probably will be by Sunday.
- Ignore the 10-day "Snow-pocalypse" hype: Unless the rain and the sub-32 temps align perfectly (which they rarely do here), it's mostly going to be a "stay inside and drink coffee" kind of week.
Keep an eye on the wind, too. We're seeing gusts from the northwest at around 11-13 mph over the next few days, which makes that 37°F high on Sunday feel a lot more like 28°F.