SAVANNAH, Ga. — Tuesday dawned with persistent rainfall showering much of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry, marking a wet start to the week.

Many inland areas recorded rainfall surpassing 1.5 inches, with Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport logging 0.51 inches, a figure that exceeded the entire rainfall for November. This significant precipitation was notable given the previous month’s relative dryness.

Although the clouds lingered thickly over the region by Tuesday evening, a shift towards drier weather is anticipated. This change comes as high pressure begins to build, promising a brief respite from the rain.

The forecast for Wednesday and Thursday predicts partly cloudy skies accompanied by chilly conditions. Morning temperatures are set to dip into the upper 30s and lower 40s, offering a brisk start to the days.

Afternoon highs will hover slightly below the seasonal norm, ranging from the upper 50s to lower 60s. To put this in perspective, the average high temperature for early December in Savannah typically reaches around 65 degrees.

The dry weather will be short lived as the next system is forecast to move through the southeast on Friday and Saturday. Light to moderate rain will begin to move in Friday morning.

RAIN RETURNS

The chance for heavy rain will begin to increase by Friday afternoon. Some rain may be heavy at times. 

More widespread heavy rain is expected to move through the region on Saturday. An area of low pressure will help to direct deeper Gulf moisture over us, leading to widespread rain. It is not going to be a great day to spend outdoors.

Afternoon highs on Saturday will only warm into the mid to upper 50s.

While severe weather is not expected with this system right now, we may need to watch out for some localized flooding issues in areas with poor drainage on Friday and Saturday. Rainfall totals may be over 2″.

Showers will linger into early Sunday morning with the bulk of the activity moving off the coast along with a cold front. The afternoon will be partly sunny, cool, and breezy.

High temperatures will warm into the upper 50s to lower 60s.

High pressure will settle in over the southeast early next week. High temperatures will warm into the upper 50s to lower 60s on Monday and Tuesday, even with a good supply of sunshine.

Low temperatures by the middle of the week will be back into the lower to middle 30s.