Travel during the New Year's period should be a good bit less sketchy than Christmas turned out to be.

 The National Weather Service is calling for clear and cool weather for New Year's Eve, with a high of 57, then cloudy that night, with a low of 47 and a 20 percent chance of rain.

 For New Year's Day on Saturday, expect an increasing chance of rain, at 40 percent, with a high of 64, then a 50 percent chance of rain Saturday night and a low of 47.

 The work week starts today with a return of sunshine today and a high of 39. The low will drop to 19  tonight, but moderate into the 20s and 30s through Thursday, with highs in the 50s by week's end.

Roads should be ice free for New Year's but Georgia State Patrol troopers and other lawmen will be out in force.

The New Year’s holiday travel period begins 6 p.m. Thursday, and ends at midnight Sunday.  There were 11 deaths on Georgia roads last New Year's. Lawmen responded to 2,083 crashes and reported 789 injuries for the holiday.

Col. Bill Hitchens, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, in a news release noted that there were no alcohol-related traffic fatalities last year. Six of the 11 who died last New Year's were not using seatbelts, and one of the persons killed was a pedestrian.

Troopers will be out on interstates and on other major roads and secondary routes as well. They will be conducting road checks and concentrated patrols.

 “Impaired drivers and people not using safety equipment will be our top priorities,” he said. “We want everyone to enjoy the holiday season while making traffic safety a priority as they travel.”