North Georgia is in for another gray day with clouds, scattered showers and cool weather in Friday’s forecast.
Those showers are expected to stick around into Friday evening, when the Braves return home for Game 3 of the World Series against the Houston Astros at Truist Park. Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said he does not expect the cold rain to stop the game, but it could make for uncomfortable viewing for the tens of thousands of
baseball fans who will pack the park.
“Some good news here as our weather trends in the right direction by Sunday,” he said. “Today, though, more of the same: clouds, wet weather, have the umbrella close by today.”
An area of low pressure is dominating North Georgia’s weather and providing all the moisture for rain and clouds. With this kind of pattern, Monahan said temperatures are held back during the day and don’t change much overnight. The region will stay in the mid- to low 50s all day, he said.
Atlanta’s projected high is just 56 degrees, about 15 degrees below average for this time of year.
“Have the rain jacket, the umbrella, the long sleeves today,” Monahan said. “It’s gonna be more like a December afternoon than a late October one.”
Monahan expects temperatures to be in the low 50s for pregame activities at The Battery Atlanta, with a 40% chance of showers at 6 p.m. The rain chances and temperatures will drop closer to first pitch, which is slated for 8:09 p.m.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Rain in the forecast Friday night is of the “hit-or-miss variety,” Monahan said. He expects mostly light drizzle, but there is a 30% chance of a shower all the way into the late innings.
Temperatures will hover around 50 degrees, which would make Friday’s game the coldest World Series game ever played in Atlanta, according to Channel 2. The coldest game on record was played during the 1999 series against the New York Yankees, when temperatures dropped to 58 degrees for Game 1 at Turner Field.
“A chilly night for baseball,” Monahan said. “You’ll need the rain jacket. Layer it up. It’s gonna be cold out there.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
On Friday morning, slick pavement and reduced visibility are the primary concerns. Shower are not as widespread as on Thursday morning, Monahan said.
“Watch out for some areas of fog,”he said. “The roads are wet. There are gonna be some showers around, and were gonna have more of that as you head home from work later today with scattered showers around.”
Conditions will improve some Saturday, but Monahan said things are really looking up Sunday, just in time for trick-or-treating and what could be a series-deciding Game 5 at Truist Park.
“Sunday that is your best day this weekend as we wind down October, and hopefully wind down a Braves World Series win on Sunday night,” he said. “Should be beautiful weather.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Despite the wet roads, there are no major delays on metro Atlanta interstates to start the Friday morning drive, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“Everything from the northern suburbs to the southern suburbs is looking great,” traffic reporer Heather Catlin said. “A smooth ride in.”
Even the Downtown Connector was moving at the speed limit at 7 a.m. Catlin expects the interstate to get sluggish in both directions around 5 p.m.
Also expected Friday is lots of congestion heading to Truist Park ahead of the ballgame. To alleviate some traffic, the Georgia Department of Transportation has suspended lane closures on game days on I-285 between Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and Ga 400, and on I-275 from Moores Mill Road to I-575.
The restrictions will be in place until midnight drivin toward the stadium and until 3 a.m. driving away, according to the state agency.
Traffic around Truist Park is expected to pick up at 4 p.m. and remain hectic until game time.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
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