VALDOSTA, Ga. — South Georgia can expect to swelter with unseasonably warm temperatures for the next week, according to forecasters.

“Looks like Valdosta’s been well above normal for the month of February and that’s going to continue,” said Frank Strait, senior meteorologist for the private forecasting firm AccuWeather.

A strong southerly flow of air has been keeping storms mainly to the north of the region, said Andy Lahr, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Tallahassee, Fla., office. “Looks like a pretty warm week throughout,” he said.

Highs will be in the 80s all week, getting as high as 87 Thursday, Strait said. The average high for Valdosta for February is in the 70s, he said.

Overnight lows will  climb as well, starting out in the lower 50s but climbing to the higher 50s by week’s end, Lahr said.

Both forecasters said the only real chance of rain won’t arrive until the weekend. Both also said any chance of severe weather this week is negligible, though Strait said substantial rain and a thunderstorm may be possible Saturday.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.