Our buddy “The Wedge” returns this week, bringing the first taste of prolonged fall temperatures to the region!

I call this “our buddy” because The Wedge happens pretty frequently in Metro Atlanta. The metro area is located in the Piedmont of the Appalachian Mountains, which means it is in the southern periphery of the mountain chain.

When a pressure system sets up along the East Coast, it forces -- or “wedges” -- cold air into the Appalachian Mountains. For Metro Atlanta, the “wedge” often sets up when high pressure is located in New England.

This air accumulates along the ridge of the mountains, and it is able to rise high enough to create cloud cover, but not necessarily enough to move over the top of the mountain range. As a result, the cold, dense air oozes or slides south along the mountains before draining in the Piedmont in north and central Georgia.

As a result, easterly winds will continue to push cool, dry air in to Metro Atlanta. Both morning and afternoon temperatures will remain about 5 to 10 degrees below average for the first half of this week -- and afternoon temperatures will fall into the upper 70s by Thursday!

However, it’s too early to say we are completely done with 90-degree temperatures!

On average, Metro Atlanta experiences its final 90-degree day by September 9, however the record latest 90 degree day in Atlanta was recorded on October 9, 1941.

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