This Week In Georgia Weather - March 26th

Surface weather map for Monday, March 26, 2012. (Courtesy: NOAA, NWS, and the HPC)

Goodbye winter and hello spring! Although it will feel much warmer than spring in many areas of Georgia this week as high pressure continues to give us the beautiful, almost summer-like weather.

Temperatures will remain in the 70's for much of the state, although south Georgia cities like Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta may see the thermometer reach 80 by Friday. Overnight lows will be in the 50's for most of the state, 40's for the mountainous areas.

Precipitation-wise, the state will remain dry until late Thursday and Friday, when instability from a lingering front will spark up a few thunderstorms in south/central Georgia. Saturday and Sunday bring increased chances of rain for the rest of the state.

While the weather certainly is warm and perfect for gardening, please resist the urge to plant tomatoes and other frost-sensitive plants in your garden. (True story: One year, I planted my tomatoes in late March, and the following weekend a hard freeze killed them. It wasn't April yet, and I paid the price for planting my tomatoes too early!) Walter Reeves, renowned Georgia Gardener, recommends waiting until the second week of April before planting tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants in the ground. More information about Walter Reeves and his gardening tips can be found at www.walterreeves.com. In addition, the National Weather Service in Peachtree City has posted the historical data for last-freeze dates in Georgia: www.weather.gov/atlanta.

Last Freeze Dates for various cities in Georgia. Data courtesy of the NWS in Peachtree City.

This is the 300mb chart of the US (approximately 9000 meters, or 5.6 miles above the ground). Centered over the United States is a big ridge, indicating that high pressure (and good weather) is setting up on the surface of the earth. Image courtesy of the Storm Prediction Center.