FXUS62 KFFC 181821 AFDFFC Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 221 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 ...Afternoon Area Forecast Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - Dry conditions will persist through Tuesday. - Warm temperatures continue the next few days with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. - Increased rain chances return from Wednesday through the weekend, especially in northern and western Georgia. && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Tuesday) Issued at 218 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 Warm and Dry Weather Through Tuesday: Conditions will be warm and rain-free for most areas through Tuesday, courtesy of a dry airmass surging into the region throughout the day. The one portion of the area that could see isolated afternoon showers and storms each day is across the GA/AL border, where moisture will be a little higher. Elsewhere, PWAT values will drop to below 1 inch, resulting in mostly clear skies outside of high cirrus and some afternoon fair weather cumulus. High temperatures will climb into the upper 80s to low 90s across the region each day, with overnight lows only falling to the low to mid 60s. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday morning through next Sunday) Issued at 218 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 The extended forecast period will bring a summerlike pattern by our standards, characterized by warm and muggy conditions punctuated by diurnally-enhanced scattered showers and thunderstorms. PoPs initially begin to trend upward on Wednesday, primarily across north and northwest Georgia, as the Southeast ridge begins to flatten as a weak cold front makes gradual progress southeastward. This front will not make much additional forward progress on Thursday as it becomes stationary across the Tennessee Valley vicinity amid southwest flow aloft. This will keep highest PoPs again concentrated generally along and north of I-20 on Thursday. The front then begins to wash out and lift back northward by Friday as southwest flow aloft persists along the western periphery of the Atlantic ridge. While the ridge looks to gradually expand back westward a bit over the weekend, the deep moisture conveyor within the southwest flow should keep at least scattered convective coverage across at least north and west Georgia, though the bulk of the more consistent rainfall will remain relegated to our west. Obviously, any rainfall is appreciated and welcome at this juncture, though this type of "hit-or-miss" summerlike convection will do little to materially alter the course of the ongoing drought. Temperatures will primarily remain a few degrees above normal, with highs ranging from the mid 80s to lower 90s and lows in the mid-to- upper 60s. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1251 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 VFR conditions will prevail at most sites through the 18Z TAF period. CU fields of 3-4kft this afternoon may become BKN at times, but will generally remain FEW-SCT. Skies mostly SKC tonight into Tuesday AM, with a low chance for MVFR-IFR CIG development at MCN/AHN around 10-14Z. Winds light out of the S-SE through the period, ranging from 6-8kts during the day and less than 5kts overnight. //ATL Confidence...18Z Update... High on all elements. Culver && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 63 89 65 91 / 0 0 0 10 Atlanta 67 88 68 89 / 0 0 0 30 Blairsville 60 83 62 84 / 0 0 0 50 Cartersville 65 89 65 89 / 0 0 10 50 Columbus 66 90 68 91 / 0 0 0 20 Gainesville 63 87 66 88 / 0 0 0 20 Macon 63 90 66 91 / 0 0 0 10 Rome 63 88 63 87 / 0 0 10 60 Peachtree City 64 89 65 90 / 0 0 0 30 Vidalia 64 91 65 92 / 0 10 0 10 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Culver LONG TERM....RW AVIATION...Culver