WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Construction is constricting evening commute

ATLANTA FORECAST

Tuesday: High: 92

Tuesday night: Low: 74

Wednesday: High: 92

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

Atlanta’s northern half is being clogged up because of multiple lane closures for construction on the Perimeter and near the Downtown Connector.

Construction is in the left lane on the I-285 Inner Loop at the ramp to I-75 North in Cobb County, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

The right lane on Peachtree Road between Deering Road and Peachtree Avenue is also closed for construction, the Traffic Center reported. Nearby, two lanes on Spring Street are closed for construction between 17th and 18th streets. Both are causing heavy delays.

Earlier today, a tractor-trailer carrying paint spilled its load on the I-285 Inner Loop before Bolton Road. Drivers dodged white paint in the two left lanes for a few minutes, but all lanes are open, the Traffic Center reported.

Drivers should expect heavier traffic through downtown Atlanta while the Gift and Home Furnishings Market occupies AmericasMart. Expect extra delays on surface streets like Ted Turner Drive and Peachtree Street, as well as on the Connector, through Monday.

Traffic may also uptick near SunTrust Park around 7:35 p.m. when the Braves take on the Toronto Blue Jays.

While it’s slightly more humid than Monday, the weather in metro Atlanta is just as pleasant Tuesday. It’s another day of mainly dry conditions thanks to Tropical Storm Chris spinning off the Atlantic coast, according to Channel 2 Action News.

“Today will be another hot and mainly dry day across North Georgia, as dry air continues to filter southward on the backside of Tropical Storm (soon to be hurricane) Chris,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “Highs will reach the low 90s across much of the area today.”

It’s currently 92 degrees, which was the predicted high. Atlanta can expect to enjoy 90-degree weather all week.

Tropical Storm Chris has developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it moves over warmer water, but Georgia shouldn’t feel any negative effects, according to Channel 2.

The path of the storm is projected to stay near the Carolinas before traveling toward the northeast U.S. by Wednesday.

The 10 percent chance of rain Tuesday “may be generous” according to Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton. While a shower or thunderstorm can’t be ruled out in far North Georgia, much of the region will be mainly dry.

That will change for the end of the week, when 40 percent rain chances are back in the forecast.

“As Chris intensifies and moves away from the East coast later this week, rain chances will start to increase across North Georgia,” Monahan said. “We have a 20 percent chance of showers and storms in the forecast (Wednesday), with more widespread rain and storms likely on Thursday and Friday as an upper-level disturbance drops south.”