WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Atlanta reaches 94 degrees; crashes stymie metro interstates
ATLANTA FORECAST
Wednesday: High: 93
Wednesday night: Low: 72
Thursday: High: 92
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
It’s a toasty 94 degrees in metro Atlanta, which is 13 degrees above average, Channel 2 Action News reported.
The record high in Atlanta for this date is 98.
94° in Atlanta today, that's 13° above average and 4° below the record high. pic.twitter.com/sGzC9O3VhE
— Brad Nitz (@BradNitzWSB) September 19, 2018
Metro area drivers have to deal with the heat from their cars as wrecks have backed up most major interstates, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
In DeKalb County, two center lanes of I-20 East are blocked near Glenwood Avenue because of a wreck, the Traffic Center reported.
Also, a gas line break has shut down Collier Road between Chattahoochee Avenue and Defoor Hills Road, according to Atlanta police.
DeKalb Co: I-20/eb past Glenwood Ave (exit 61B); crash blocking 2 center lanes; delays https://t.co/2hvjWkI3bV #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/SRLBvlXbSq
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) September 19, 2018
In Gwinnett County, all northbound lanes were briefly blocked on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard near Jimmy Carter Boulevard by a crash, the Traffic Center reported. Heavy delays spread back past I-285.
Gwinnett Co: Peachtree Industrial/nb at Jimmy Carter; crash blocking all lanes; cars getting by on right shoulder; heavy delays back past 285 https://t.co/2hvjWkI3bV #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/jwh2AMs0Mk
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) September 19, 2018
The congestion mirrors an ugly morning commute that featured a deadly crash that shut down all but one lane of I-85 North. It was moved to the side just before 10 a.m.
RELATED: I-85 North in Gwinnett reopens after deadly crash
GRIDLOCK ALERT: Gwinnett Co.: Crash Investigation Cleared: I-85/nb at Pleasant Hill Rd.; (exit 104); All Lanes are Now Open; tough delays continue; https://t.co/MhPvicYKPN; #ATLTraffic pic.twitter.com/dX6OmJMJus
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) September 19, 2018
Regarding the temperature outside, if you were ready for fall weather, prepare to be disappointed.
“You may be done with summer,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said, “but it is not done with you.”
Fall begins Saturday, but we'll be in the 90s until then!
— Brad Nitz (@BradNitzWSB) September 19, 2018
Are you ready? pic.twitter.com/s9NTgBXKsI
The good news is while it will be hot, it won’t be as humid. Minton said she’s looking for the dew points, the measure of moisture in the air, to come down to the mid-60s over the next couple of days, “taking the edge off a little.”
About 10 days from now -- a chance for highs to dip back into the 70s to around 80 degrees... that would be about average. In the meantime, summer isn't letting go!
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) September 19, 2018
Only a few isolated showers were expected in the Georgia mountains Wednesday, according to Channel 2. Rain chances rise to 20 percent Friday and the weekend ahead of the first official day of fall Saturday.
“We’re still in the 90s on Friday as that ridge is still there,” Minton said. “It will start to weaken next week, and that will allow our rain chances to start to increase, but over the weekend it’s still fairly low.”
» 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.
About the Authors
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
