Traffic remains hot while temps dip ahead of overnight freeze

ATLANTA FORECAST

Tuesday: High: 44

Tuesday night: Low: 25

Wednesday: High: 47

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.

After reaching a high of 44 degrees, the temperature in Atlanta has begun its dip toward the mid-20s.

Despite the sunshine during the afternoon, it remained chilly all day, and it’s expected to drop to 25 degrees overnight, which is colder than it was this morning, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

“Temperatures dropped into the 20s and low 30s around metro Atlanta this morning,” Monahan said. “This morning’s low of 31 (degrees) at the airport was the coldest since it was 30 on March 9.”

In contrast, traffic has remained hot all evening, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

A left lane of I-20 West before Holmes Drive is blocked by a wreck in Fulton County, the Traffic Center reported.

An overturned tractor-trailer in Douglas County on Lee Road near the I-20 ramps is blocking lanes on both sides, but the Traffic Center said delays are minor.

In Cherokee County, sheriff’s office spokesman Jay Baker told AJC.com that a fatal crash around 2 p.m. has shut down Old Orange Mill Road at Ga. 20. A 17-year-old was killed and three other teenagers were injured. Baker said the road will be closed until around 8:15 p.m.

MORE: 17-year-old killed, 3 other teens injured in Cherokee County wreck

Temperatures started out 25 degrees colder Tuesday morning across North Georgia than they did Monday, Monahan said. For most of the morning, temps hovered just above or just below freezing.

In preparation for the frigid temperatures, the City of Atlanta opened an emergency warming center at the Old Adamsville Recreation Center at 3404 Delmar Lane.

The good news? No rain Tuesday.

“It is going to stay windy to breezy through the day, and that’s going to make it feel even colder,” Monahan said.

With wind speeds of 10 to 20 mph, he said it will feel “like it’s down to the teens and 20s” across North Georgia.

Wednesday morning could see the coldest temperatures since late January, he said. Temps are expected to fall quickly overnight to start at a brisk 26 degrees in Atlanta, with even colder temps possible in the mountains.

For those dreading the commute in the cold, there is better news later in the week.

“There is a warm-up coming,” Monahan said. “We're still in the 40s tomorrow, but we're going to get a big jump in the temperatures on Thursday.”

Thursday’s projected high is 57 degrees. It should warm to the 60s through the weekend, but a chance of rain returns to the forecast Friday and sticks around, according to Channel 2.

Monahan said rain looks likely for the Children’s Christmas Parade through Midtown on Saturday morning.

“We’ll have strong wind shear and some instability to work with, so there is a chance of storms,” he said. “A few storms could be strong. We’ll be keeping an eye on that forecast over the next few days.”