If temperatures in the teens and 20s are making Wednesday morning a struggle, there’s hope for the afternoon.
Metro Atlanta should finish the day about 10 degrees higher than Tuesday, according to Channel 2 Action News. It’s the start of a warming trend that could mean much milder weather and more seasonable afternoon highs.
“Great news: We're going to start to warm up from here,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “By the afternoon, we'll be back to near 50. That’s about where we should be this time of year.”
For now, he said, you’ll have to bundle up.
All of North Georgia is starting the day well below freezing, but Monahan said temperatures will be quicker to rise Wednesday. Metro Atlanta should warm above 32 degrees by 10 a.m., according to Channel 2.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
The high in the city is a projected 50 degrees. Monahan said most all of North Georgia should break out of the 40s, except for northwest Georgia and the mountain counties.
“It’s going to be a nice, warmer afternoon for us,” he said. “We'll have sunshine, too.”
High clouds will start to thicken up late in the afternoon Wednesday, he said. That’s the sign of the next weather system that will bring an increasing chance of rain Thursday.
The system is currently sitting over the central part of the country.
Monahan said showers will start to creep into the state from the south and west early Thursday afternoon. While the morning and noon drives should stay dry, rain chances are going up to 40% for the ride home, he said.
“If you've got plans for your Thursday, plan on some showers across North Georgia,” he said. “And then (it’s) getting much wetter as we go into Thursday night and Friday.”
By Friday morning, showers are 90% likely, according to Channel 2. They will likely be gone in time for the weekend, when rain chances are nil.
With the extra clouds around, Monahan said Thursday should start in the mid-30s and finish near 50 degrees. Wednesday truly should be the last frigid morning this week.
With the cold comes an elevated fire danger. Despite all the rainfall Georgia has received this month, Monahan said things dry out quickly when cold air moves in.
Dry vegetation means there is a lot of fuel for fires to burn, and a cold wind helps to fan the flames, he said.
Fire crews were working a brush fire Wednesday morning near the I-85 and Ga. 400 interchange. The fire, which has been extinguished, was in a woodline beside I-85 near Lindbergh Drive, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
There was no impact to traffic. Smoke could be seen from the interstate, however.
There are big jams elsewhere in Fulton County, according to the Traffic Center.
A serious crash is blocking lanes on Fulton Industrial Boulevard at Cascade Road. The Traffic Center is advising drivers to avoid the area if possible.
Later Wednesday, controlled blasting on I-285 will continue in Sandy Springs.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is blasting at 1:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes between the Perimeter Center Parkway overpass and Ashford Dunwoody Road.
RELATED: GDOT warns of 'controlled blasts' along I-285 in Sandy Springs
Perimeter Center Parkway will be blocked from Lake Hearn Drive to Hammond Drive during the blasting operation, according to Sandy Springs officials. Blasting is expected to continue Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through March.
» 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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