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Winter storm watch issued; snow, sleet and ice possible
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No, it’s not déjà vu. Forecasters are predicting a weekend snowfall — again.

As of Thursday morning, National Weather Service forecasters were calling for an 80 percent chance of rain Friday afternoon and a 100 percent chance of rain and/or sleet Friday night. By Saturday afternoon, there is a 30 percent chance of rain or snow.

A winter storm watch is in effect from Friday through Saturday afternoon. A winter storm watch means there is the potential for significant snow, sleet or ice that could effect travel.

The watch extends along and north of a line from Lafayette to Ellijay to Dawsonville to Gainesville to Homer. The weather service said accumulations of 3 to 6 inches of snow and ice are possible in the mountains, with 1 to 3 inches in lower elevations in the watch area.

According to the weather service, “the precipitation may begin as a mix of rain and sleet Friday morning, but become all rain by noon Friday. As cold air moves into the region Friday afternoon, the rain could be mixed again with sleet.”

The return of the wintry weather mix is related to an area of low pressure that is moving out of Texas and headed for the East Coast, according to the weather service. With the low pressure system comes cooler temperatures.

Today’s high is expected to be about 55 degrees, while temperatures may drop to 36 degrees. By Friday, forecasters are calling for high temperatures of 43 degrees with the low being 33.

The coldest temperatures for the week is expected to come Saturday night when thermometer mercury levels are expected to hover around 25 degrees.

Sunny skies are expected to return Sunday, along with relatively warmer weather, when the afternoon temperature raises to 44 degrees.