Rain moving through metro Atlanta on Friday morning is only the first of two rounds of wet weather that will complicate plans this weekend.
The second arrives Saturday and brings with it a chance of thunderstorms, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Jennifer Lopez. The heaviest rain Friday morning is drenching the Southside of the city before sunrise.
Lopez said it does not look to be letting up until after the morning drive. On top of wet conditions on the roads, it is chilly Friday morning with temperatures in the in 40s across North Georgia.
“Rain through the morning, and then it will taper off through the afternoon,” Lopez said. “Maybe some drizzle through the day as our temperatures are going to stay on the cooler side.”
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By the afternoon, she said a northeast wind will keep temperatures around Gainesville in the 50s, but neighborhoods southwest of Atlanta will get closer to 70s degrees. Atlanta’s projected high is 64 degrees.
Overnight, Lopez expects all of North Georgia to warm up as a frontal boundary approaches.
Temperatures could be in the upper 60s in Atlanta on Saturday morning, which is well above the average high for this time of year.
While there could be mist or drizzle, steady rain should not be a problem by the time high school football championship games resume Friday afternoon at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium, formerly Georgia State Stadium. However, games on Saturday could be impacted by a 90% chance of rain, according to Channel 2.
“Another line of showers moves through as we move into tomorrow,” Lopez said. “This line could be bringing us some gusty wind and an isolated thunderstorm.”
She said the showers will arrive in northwest Georgia on Saturday morning and move into metro Atlanta by early afternoon. They will continue through the evening hours, she said.
Behind the front, quieter weather moves in. Sunday should see a return to average temperatures with lows in 30s and highs in the upper 50s, and it will be dry and sunny, according to the latest forecast.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Multiple crashes have made a mess of things at the start of the Friday morning commute. There are delays on nearly every major interstate at 6:30 a.m., according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
Crashes have been reported on I-75 South at Ga. 138 in Henry County, on I-75 North at Mt. Zion Road in Clayton County, and at I-85 North at Cleveland Avenue in Fulton County. Another bad crash was blocking the eastbound lanes of Covington Highway at Panola Road in DeKalb County, according to the Traffic Center.
Commuters should avoid the area and take I-20 instead, the Traffic Center reported.
“It’s been a busy morning because the roads are really wet and slick,” traffic reporter Heather Catlin said, urging drivers to slow down.
While delays are mounting everywhere, no interstates were completely shut down at 6:30 a.m. Alternate routes are not needed, but some extra travel time would be a good idea.
» 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.
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