Was The Groundhog Wrong?

The Groundhog might have predicted six more weeks of winter, but we certainly won't be feeling it this week. Temperatures over the weekend were 10 degrees above average for Athens, and they'll continue to climb as we head through the week.

Today, Athens hit 73 degrees, as we enjoyed sunny skies. Overnight, we'll continue to see clear skies, cooling to the upper 40s - much warmer than recent mornings. With sunshine continuing through tomorrow afternoon, we'll see our high temperature rise even more, hitting the mid 70s - that's 20 degrees above average for early February.

North Georgia was similarly in the low 70s today, also enjoying sunshine. They'll remain clear overnight, also seeing a low in the upper 40s. The difference in conditions comes with tomorow's high, only reaching the low 70s. The slightly lower tempeatures are due to a weak cold front that will be moving through, bringing with it a few low clouds.

We'll be taking a quick break from sunny skies on Wednesday: seeing increasing clouds through the afternoon, before the chance for light, spotty showers begins overnight and Thursday. Clouds temporarily bring highs back to the upper 60s on Wednesday, before temperatures quickly rebound back to the mid 70s for Thursday and Friday.

Aside from the current weather, this week (February 3-7) is Severe Weather Preparedness Week! Today is Family Preparedness/ NOAA Weather Radio Day. NOAA Weather Radios are life-saving devices, being the loudest, fastest way to recieve watches and warnings from the National Weather Service. Always make sure you have batteries on-hand for your radio! Additionally, work with your family to ensure you have a plan for when severe weather hits, including understanding what to do in a watch versus a warning, and how to take shelter (more to come on this through the week). It is also a good idea to select an out-of-state family member or friend to be the point of contact after severe weather hits your area, with communication often being difficult in the aftermath of a storm.

If you're a fan an early spring, enjoy the warmer temperatures this week! Stay tuned for more on preparing for severe weather. Finally, as always, Go Dawgs!