Snow is possible overnight Thursday as cold snap arrives for the holidays

Those hoping for a white Christmas just might get it a couple of days before St. Nick is supposed to arrive as the National Weather Service calls for a chance for snow overnight on Thursday, with freezing temps to follow behind through Christmas Day.

Thursday’s daytime forecast actually isn’t all that bad: temps are expected to get up to a considerably balmy 54 with mostly cloudy skies expected.

Once the sun goes down, the situation is going to change.

Rainy weather has dominated the forecast over the past several days, and more is on the way during the overnight hours as the forecasters in Peachtree City are calling for chances of rain and snow showers before 3 a.m., and slight chances of snow to follow as temperatures overnight drop to 13 degrees.

That’s what you read, 13 degrees. This is cold enough for folks here to worry about busted pipes and a real threat of hypothermia when venturing outside if precautions aren’t taken to keep yourself and your loved ones protected.

The forecast is for a 70% chance of precipitation, but don’t get too excited: they also are only calling for “little or no snow accumulation expected.”

Either way, the freezing weather is going to stick around through at least Friday and Saturday. A wind chill advisory begins at midnight on Thursday night and extends into noon Saturday.

This is due to an arctic front heading toward much of the United States, which is bringing with it the chance for snow. The thermometer is expected to rapidly drop as this arctic blast heads southward on Friday, with temperatures down into the teens and 20s before noon on Friday on a corridor spanning from north of I-20 and I-85.

Which puts Polk County squarely in line for one heck of a frozen holiday.

Temperatures on Friday with the wind chill in place are 20 degrees as a high but will feel as cold as -3 degrees outside. A low of 8 overnight heading into Christmas weekend is expected, with winds at 10 to 15 mph to make it feel colder, and gusts as high as 30 mph.

Temperatures are up to 27 on Saturday with a low of 12, and on Christmas Day on Sunday the thermometer is expected to get up to 34, with a low of 16.

More seasonal weather is expected to start again on Monday with highs up to the lower 40s, and lows getting down to 21, with only incremental improvement in the forecasted temperatures for Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

During these arctic fronts bringing in potential record-low temperatures, readers will want to be sure to keep pets and livestock indoors and provide them with a heat source. Additionally, be sure to winterize your outdoor spigots and pipes, insulate as much as possible, and wear clothing appropriate for the weather forecast above.

Check back for updates on the weather forecast as it develops on Thursday.