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Cooler temperatures draw people outdoors
Hottest days of summer have passed
0824weather2
Natalie Donatelli gives her son Michael a drink while visiting at Wilshire Trails Park Tuesday afternoon. Mild temperatures over the past few days have been a welcome relief to those spending time outdoors.

A cool, crisp breeze is in the air as North Georgia inches toward fall, and local residents are enjoying the change.

Natalie Donatelli and Jodie Kowalski, co-workers at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, spent Tuesday afternoon with their kids at Wilshire Trails Park in Gainesville. It's something they said they haven't done lately with temperatures hovering in the 90s.

"But we came out today because it's a lot nicer and breezier," Donatelli said while watching her twin 3-year-olds on the playground.

The two moms sat on blankets in the shade with some snacks and drinks as Kowalski's son Tayden and fiance Tavarvess Ware navigated the monkey bars.

"We are past the warmest days of the year," said Robert Beasley, forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City.

Beasley said temperatures have finally gotten into the 60s at night and some daytime highs are only reaching into the mid- to upper-80s after a summer full of 90-degree days.

But he noted "we've got quite a few days" left in the 90s. Atlanta had its hottest day of the year Monday at 98 degrees and Gainesville was 96, he said. And last year it was in the 90s the last week of September.

"It's not going to get progressively cooler every day," he said.

It may feel a lot less muggy, too, right now.

The short-term forecast calls for drier air, Beasley said.

Highs through the next seven days are predicted to be 89 to 93 and lows are forecast between 66 and 70.

Hurricane Irene isn't expected to have any major impact on the Gainesville area, Beasley said. But as it moves up the east coast, a northwest wind here will provide drier and a bit cooler weather for several days.