Sunshine returned to metro Atlanta on Friday and temperatures began climbing after a cold night that left icy patches on roadways. By early afternoon, temperatures had cracked 50 degrees on their way to a predicted afternoon high in the mid-50s.
Earlier Friday, temperatures dropped below the freezing mark, but metro Atlanta escaped widespread travel problems from the the season’s first brush with wintry precipitation. Atlanta’s official low was 31, which came at 8 a.m.
Most of the isolated icy spots were on interstate bridges and overpasses, including along I-75 in Cobb and Bartow counties, I-85 in DeKalb County and on I-20 just west of downtown.
In Marietta, there was some snow and light icing on cars, but roads were relatively clear. Still, motorists were driving cautiously because of patches of black ice, especially on the ramps leading to the interstate.
Earlier, authorities blocked all but two southbound lanes of I-75 at the Roswell Road overpass due to icing at 5:30 a.m. The AM750 and 95.5FM Traffic Center reported a couple of wrecks in that area were apparently caused by black ice.
It was not yet known whether icing contributed to a wreck on I-575 in which the state Department of Transportation reported that a vehicle flipped over the median wall near Mile Marker 17 in Cherokee County.
Temperatures at 1 p.m. included 49 in Dunwoody, 51 in Chamblee, 50 in Marietta and 51 at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Thursday afternoon, a few snow flurries were reported across parts of metro Atlanta as the rain ended and temperatures dropped.
Some areas west and northwest of Atlanta, including in Paulding and Haralson counties, received a light accumulation of snow on grassy areas.
No school closings were reported in metro Atlanta Friday, although officials in Gordon County and the city of Calhoun canceled classes for the day, and Forysth County schools delayed opening until 10 a.m. Several other school systems in extreme north Georgia also delayed opening on Friday.
In Cherokee County, officials delayed the opening of courts and other government buildings until 10 a.m.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton’s weekend forecast is for sunny skies through Sunday, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s.
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