[UPDATE, 5:15 p.m.]: The last time it was this warm in Atlanta on Dec. 28, Ronald Reagan reigned as president, “Purple Rain” set off a revolution and the pre-viral catch phrase was “Where’s the Beef?”
It was 1984, and that day the temperature in the city reached 74 degrees. That record stood for a generation until Tuesday, when Atlanta topped out at 75 degrees in the afternoon, according to Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns.
Highs are expected to remain in the 70s through Saturday.
[ORIGINAL STORY]: Those heading home from holiday destinations would do best to hit the road Tuesday.
Strong to severe storms are in Atlanta’s forecast on Wednesday, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon. Ahead of the stormy weather, Deon said Tuesday will be the best day to travel as conditions remain pretty quiet all across the Deep South.
“Today will be a better day to get out on the roadways because we are going to see those rain chances increasing as we go through this afternoon, and especially into the day on Wednesday,” she said.
Atlanta is staying warm. Temperatures are already in the mid-60s on Tuesday morning, and they are headed for a projected high of 72 degrees. A 30% chance of rain Tuesday will result in a “a few hit or miss showers,” Deon said.
“A very low-end chance for at least today, but probably want to grab the umbrella just have it with you in the event you get caught under a passing light shower,” she said.
She expects rain to really ramp up overnight, moving across the Alabama border into northwest Georgia and eventually spreading into metro Atlanta.
“On Wednesday as rain overspreads the area, we could be dealing with some heavy downpours, as well as a threat of strong to severe storms,” Deon said.
All of North Georgia is considered at a Level 1 risk of severe weather, the lowest threat level out of five, according to the National Weather Service. The risk is elevated for parts of northwest Georgia, including Calhoun and Rome.
The main threats are damaging wind gusts, but Deon said a brief tornado and hail are also possible.
If travel is in your plans Tuesday, there are no early delays on metro Atlanta interstates, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. The Tuesday morning drive is off to a smooth start with no major crashes or longstanding interstate closures.
According to AAA, the worst time to drive today will be between 1 and 8 p.m. Historically, the best time to hit the road is before noon.
» 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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