Forecasters expect around a quarter to a half-inch of rain to fall on Friday, and are looking for nearly an inch to fall on Sunday.

The rain will add to the 1.72 inches of rainfall that has been recorded for Gainesville so far this month. Gainesville received about 0.16 inches of rain on Christmas and early Wednesday morning, said Rob Handel, a senior forecaster for the National Weather Service in Peachtree City.

"Perhaps we’re seeing some glimmers of hope in there," he said. Lately, southern and central Georgia have received heavier rainfalls than the Gainesville area, Handel said. Those regions get their rain from low pressure systems coming out of the ocean that never quite make it to Gainesville.

"It takes a little bit more stronger southerly winds to draw (the rain) up into the Gainesville area," Handel said.

Those low pressure systems have been ending up in South Georgia and the northern region of the country, but seem to keep missing the northeast region of Georgia. One day, that weather pattern will change, though, Handel said.

"Over time, it’s just going to eventually work itself out," Handel said. "It’s just part of the randomness of Mother Nature and the atmosphere."

Despite the effect of La Niña, Gainesville is moving into one of its wetter times of the year.

"Certainly there’s some hope with more low pressure systems typically moving through in the winter time that, eventually, one of these may give us more rainfall."