Bundle Up: Arctic cold weather pushes into Athens area early Friday morning

The 2022 Christmas version of the polar express will bobsleigh into Northeast Georgia in the predawn hours Friday.

And the icy weather won’t be leaving anytime soon.

“Not only is it going to feel cold, but temperatures will remain below freezing for a couple of days at least,” National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Willis said Wednesday.

“The strong arctic cold front will be coming through during the predawn hours on Friday morning, likely between 4 and 6 a.m. You’ll really notice the bitterly cold air moving in as once that front comes through temperatures will drop very quickly,” Willis said.

This Christmas in Athens will be so bitterly cold that it will rival the Christmas of 1983 when temperatures in Athens fell to 3 degrees with a high of only 22, according to the meteorologist in the Peachtree City office.

Not only are the temperatures falling, but a strong northwest wind will produce a windchill that can make the cold feel even colder.

There will be sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph on Friday morning with gusts of 35 to 40 mph, Wills said.

The high Friday will be in the 20s and remain in that range throughout the day with windchill temperatures making it feel 5 to 10 degrees, he said.

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The current forecast calls for the coldest night to be Saturday morning, Christmas Eve, with a low of about 11 degrees. The low for Christmas morning is expected to be about 15 degrees, Willis said.

“Any issues with pipes freezing need to be prepared for,” he warned. “Do everything you can to mitigate that potential.”

For people leaving their homes for trips out of town, they should also make preparations such as keeping the heat on in homes, according to Willis.

For those spending time outside this weekend, there is also the potential for hypothermal, so people need to dress for the weather, he said.

This cold Christmas is likely be the coldest since that bitter cold holiday of 1983.

“Definitely, it’s one of the coldest Christmases we’ll experience,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Bitter cold arctic air to drops temps in Athens area for Christmas holilday