Will it rain this weekend in Georgia?

Georgia residents should expect a wet and stormy weekend, with the National Weather Service forecasting showers and thunderstorms across the state both Saturday and Sunday before conditions gradually improve heading into next week.

North and Central Georgia

The Atlanta area is in for an unsettled Saturday, with a chance of rain before 2 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms possible through the evening. Highs will reach near 84. Rain chances sit at 50 percent for the day, climbing to 60 percent overnight as storms become more likely.

Sunday brings more of the same for metro Atlanta, with a mostly cloudy sky, storm chances returning through the afternoon and a high near 77. Winds could gust up to 20 mph. Rain chances hold at 50 percent.

In the mountains and northeast Georgia, there is a 60 percent chance of storms Saturday, with the best chance arriving in the afternoon. Overnight, storm chances drop to 40 percent. Sunday looks drier for that region, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 73, though storms return Sunday night with a 50 percent chance of rain.

West Georgia

Residents in the western part of the state are looking at the most active weather of the weekend, with an 80 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday and patchy fog possible early in the morning. Highs will reach near 84. Saturday night remains active, with a 70 percent storm chance before conditions settle late.

Sunday continues the pattern for west Georgia, with storms likely through the afternoon and a 70 percent chance of rain. Highs again near 84. Sunday night stays stormy, with a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m.

South Georgia

South Georgia is also tracking a stormy weekend, with a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday and highs near 88. Saturday night brings a 40 percent storm chance before conditions quiet down overnight.

Sunday ramps back up, with storms likely through the afternoon and a 70 percent rain chance. Highs near 89. Sunday night stays active, with a 70 percent chance of storms before 2 a.m.

Along the southeast Georgia coast, the heaviest rainfall totals of the weekend are expected. Saturday brings an 80 percent chance of storms, with rainfall totals between a quarter and half an inch possible. Sunday looks even wetter, with a 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms both during the day and overnight. Rainfall totals Sunday night could reach between a half and three-quarters of an inch.

The week ahead

The good news is that conditions improve significantly by midweek across Georgia. The forecast shows Monday with only a 30 percent rain chance before clearing out. Wednesday through Thursday look sunny statewide, with highs in the low 80s. A slight storm chance returns Friday afternoon, but nothing like what the state will see this weekend.

South Georgia will stay warmer and slightly more unsettled through the week, with daily storm chances of about 30 percent, but highs climbing into the low 90s by Tuesday.