Atlanta weekend weather: Heat, humidity and storms return
Friday morning weather forecast
Another foggy start for some parts of metro Atlanta and North Georgia and afternoon rain is still possible. Today's high temp expected to be 88 degrees.
ATLANTA - Keep the umbrella handy if you have outdoor plans this weekend. Metro Atlanta and North Georgia are heading into another hot and humid stretch with scattered afternoon thunderstorms possible both Saturday and Sunday.
The weekend won't be a washout, but the typical summertime pattern means storms could develop quickly once daytime heating gets underway.
🌦️ Weekend forecast
☀️ Saturday: Hot and humid with highs around 90. Scattered thunderstorms will develop during the afternoon, although not everyone will get rain. Storms that do form could produce locally heavy downpours.
🌤️ Sunday: Another warm and muggy day with temperatures near 90. Expect a mix of sun and clouds before scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms develop.
🌡️ Feels like: Humidity will make temperatures feel hotter than the thermometer indicates, especially during the afternoon.
⛈️ Storm timing: The best chance for thunderstorms will generally be from the afternoon into the evening. Because the storms will be scattered, conditions can vary significantly from one part of metro Atlanta to another.
Will it rain all weekend?
No. Scattered thunderstorms don't mean continuous rain or that everyone will see a storm.
The pattern is typical for August in Georgia: mornings offer the best opportunity for outdoor activities before heat, humidity and instability build during the afternoon.
Anyone with outdoor plans should keep an eye on the radar, particularly later in the day. A location that is dry and sunny can quickly see conditions change as thunderstorms develop.
Friday brings a preview
Friday will offer a preview of the weekend weather.
Temperatures will climb close to 90 degrees, with humidity making it feel even warmer. Thunderstorms are expected to begin developing around midday and increase during the afternoon.
The greatest chance for storms Friday appears to be northwest of Interstate 85, including Rome, Canton, Carrollton and the North Georgia mountains.
That geographical distinction becomes less important over the weekend, when scattered afternoon storms could develop across much of the region.
Fog possible during the mornings
Early risers could also encounter areas of fog.
Fog was already reducing visibility Friday morning in parts of North Georgia, including Blairsville and Dahlonega. Similar pockets of morning fog can develop in humid conditions, particularly in the mountains.
Drivers encountering fog should slow down, increase following distance and use low-beam headlights.
Otherwise, expect the familiar August combination this weekend: heat, humidity, some sunshine and the possibility that an afternoon thunderstorm could temporarily change your plans.
Drought officially ends in North and Central Georgia
The recent rounds of rain have brought a major change to Georgia's drought conditions.
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City has officially declared the drought over for North and Central Georgia after nearly 11 months.
The drought lasted from Sept. 23, 2025, through Aug. 6, 2026.
That doesn't mean all of Georgia is back to normal. A small portion of northeast Georgia remains in moderate drought, while much of the region is still considered abnormally dry. However, the area experiencing severe drought has essentially fallen to zero, which the National Weather Service says qualifies as an end to the drought.
The improvement marks a dramatic turnaround from conditions earlier this year.
In April, the entire state of Georgia was simultaneously experiencing severe drought or worse for the first time since the U.S. Drought Monitor began issuing its reports.
At the drought's peak that month, about one-third of Georgia was classified as being in exceptional drought — the most serious category on the Drought Monitor scale.
While the drought has officially ended across North and Central Georgia, additional rainfall will still be beneficial in areas that remain unusually dry.
