Don't look for relief anytime soon from the hot weather.

"We're going to be locked into the 90s" for about two more weeks, said forecaster Robert Beaseley of the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City.

Beaseley said an upper level high pressure system in the southern Appalacians has stalled, providing the Gainesville area with 90-degree temperatures since late last week. That's about 10 degrees warmer than the normal 82-degree high for this time of year.

"It's a pattern more characteristic of late June ... and July and August," he said.

The region is predicted to have near-record highs of 96 today and 95 Thursday, he said. That will be followed by 92 Friday, 90 Saturday, 91 Sunday and 92 Monday.

"I think we'll fall just a little shy of the records," he said, which for the Atlanta area are 97 today, 98 Thursday and 96 on Friday, all set in the 1800s.

Temperatures will drop a bit Saturday, he said, because there will be clouds and the possibility of rain when the system moves somewhat west before returning after the weekend.

It's uncertain whether the current weather is a sign of a long, hot summer, Beaseley said.

He cautions that isolated, severe thunderstorms can still break out with these temperatures, but there is zero chance of a tornado during this period.

And there's no widespread rain expected over the next two weeks, he said.

That's not good news for parts of Georgia where it's really dry.

Drought conditions across the state became worse last month, especially in the southern half of the state.

State climatologist David Stooksbury said Tuesday that sections of southeast and southwest Georgia are classified as being in an extreme drought. To the north, Columbus has received 63 percent of its normal rainfall and Macon has gotten about 60 percent.

Besides the drought making spring planting difficult for farmers, Stooksbury said it has increased the risk of wildfires.

Associated Press contributed to this report.