WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Isolated storms hit southeast metro area

ATLANTA FORECAST 

Thursday: High: 92

Thursday night: Low: 74

Friday: High: 89

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

Construction and wrecks are causing problem areas across metro Atlanta roadways and interstates during the evening commute. And the strong storms hitting the southeast edge of the metro area aren’t helping drivers any.

In DeKalb County, two left lanes are blocked on I-20 near Wesley Chapel Road due to a crash, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

The Downtown Connector and most of the Northern Perimeter are also slammed with cars, according to the Traffic Center.

A combination of heat and humidity is fueling those scattered storms, according to Channel 2 Action News.

Dew points are in the low 70s, and they will only get higher as the day goes on. Add that temperatures are in the 90s, and much of metro Atlanta will get wet over the next few hours, Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz predicted.

The coast is clear of Tropical Storm Chris, which sent drier air over North Georgia over the past few days. Now that Chris is moving northeast across the Atlantic to cooler waters, more moist, humid air is moving in, according to Channel 2.

“Humidity is on the rise,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said. “With that added moisture, we're going to start to see showers developing.”

There is a 40 percent chance of showers Thursday, with east Georgia at the highest risk of severe storms. Damaging winds are the biggest concern, Minton said.

“But any of these storms that you see across the metro area today could produce that damaging wind, a lot of lightning and some very heavy rain, so just keep that in mind today as you're out and about,” she said.

It’s possible that one or two strong storms could develop over metro Atlanta, according to the latest forecast from Channel 2.

The wet stuff should continue through Friday and into the weekend. Between Thursday and Sunday, Minton said some areas could receive 1 to 2 inches of rain.

The chance of rain increases to 60 percent Friday and holds through Sunday. Storms should not be as widespread Friday and Sunday as they will be Saturday, according to Channel 2.

“Saturday, we're going to see a lot of activity,” Minton said. “Some of those could be on the stronger side.”

Saturday should also be the coolest day of the weekend with a high of 87 degrees. The rain should help to keep temperatures down “because of the clouds and the showers in the area,” Minton said.

Not so for Thursday. Temps peaked at 93 degrees, which was a degree hotter than the expected high.

Thursday’s storms could affect a few Georgia Department of Transportation road closures across Atlanta and Cobb County.