Slight dip in temperatures kick off the weekend

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Dry conditions and pleasant temperatures are expected through Friday night. Northerly flow aloft and high pressure across the Southeast will maintain

zero chances for rain and very little in the way of clouds. Another Fire Danger Statement is in effect across most of North and Middle Georgia this afternoon and evening due to low relative humidity and dry fuels. While winds remain relatively light, the dry air could support rapid fire development. High temperatures today are forecast to be around 4 to 8 degrees cooler than yesterday, as something of a cold air damming wedge pushes across the region with surface/low-level easterly winds and weak cold air advection (CAA) in tow. High pressure continues to dominate the weather pattern into the extended period with high temperatures in the 70s and lows in the 40s. By Saturday morning, the main ridge will be centered over the New England states

with its axis angled southwest down the Eastern Seaboard and out across the Louisiana/Mississippi Gulf Coast. This ridge stays fairly stationary through the  weekend with only a slight movement to just off the Massachusetts/Maine coastline by Monday morning. This will all but put Georgia in a more East to Northeast flow pattern and we could see a little bit of moisture return across the area from the Atlantic going into next week. As for now, we’re expecting increased cloud cover across the state by midweek. This ridge does weaken a bit by Tuesday/Wednesday as an approaching low pressure system moves east out of the Central Plains. The main low center is expected to track across the central Great Lake states Wednesday and into the New England states Thursday morning. Its associated cold frontal boundary moves into Northwest Georgia around early Wednesday morning and sweeps through the state exiting the Georgia coast by sunset. The good dynamics and moisture with the front all push northeast closer to the parent low center allowing this dry cold front to push through the country keeping things dry for North and Middle Georgia.