Spring arrived on time, but its typically warmer temperatures are running late.

A freeze warning remains in effect for much of North Georgia, including Hall County, until 11 a.m. today. A freeze warning means freezing temperatures are forecast to threaten outdoor plants. Lows in the upper 20s were predicted for the Gainesville area.

Although the National Weather Service in Peachtree City predicts today to be sunny, North Georgia could get a blast of wintry weather overnight. There’s a 20 percent chance of snow after 1 a.m. Friday, followed by a chance of snow and sleet before 2 p.m., then a chance of rain. No accumulations are expected except in the higher elevations where a dusting could occur, the weather service said.

The probability of precipitation during the day Friday is 50 percent.

Weekend highs are expected to be in the 50s, but lows are predicted to range from just above freezing to the mid-40s.

Extreme swings in temperatures are typical in the spring transition, said Bill Murphey, state climatologist.

“This is what you would expect with a neutral pattern,” which means there is neither an El Niño nor a La Niña pattern, he said.

“We would expect similar types of systems to what we’ve been getting,” Murphey said. “We’ve been getting systems coming across (the state) every three to five days, as far as precipitation.

“From the system coming through this weekend, it looks like the greater punch will be Saturday night,” he said.

The chance of precipitation is 60 percent for Saturday.

The weekend precipitation “could start as a quick, brief (winter) mix, but it will be all rain by Friday night,” Murphey said.

“The rain has improved our drought status,” he said. “I expect continued improvement, even next week, maybe get rid of a lot of severe (drought) conditions.

“It’s been a good, beneficial recharge.”

As spring stretches toward summer, Murphey said he expects similar conditions to continue.

“It looks like we’ll still be keeping the neutral pattern through the spring and into summer,” he said.

Chances for above-normal or below-normal precipitation are about even for the northern third of Georgia, he said.

Temperatures, though, are likely to climb.

“We’ve got a chance for a greater probability of above-normal temperatures,” Murphey said.