North Georgia just has to slog through one more wet day before things turn mainly dry for the weekend.
Scattered showers are falling Friday morning, and Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said there will be fewer as the day goes on. Rain is not a widespread issue for the Friday morning drive, but there is a chance of getting caught in a quick downburst.
“There’s not a ton of rain out there, but where it is it could be heavy,” Monahan said. “And because that combination of saturated soil and our rivers, creeks and streams running high, there’s that possibility of some flash flooding.”
A flash flood watch remains in effect through 8 a.m. Friday. Through Thursday, Atlanta has recorded 2.5 inches of rainfall since the start of this week, according to the National Weather Service.
In addition to the rain and storms, North Georgia is starting Friday morning with some fog and low cloud cover. Monahan expects the sky to begin clearing by lunchtime. The projected high for Atlanta is 78 degrees.
“Late this afternoon, there will be a few storms around, a few downpours, especially east of Atlanta,” he said. “Most of us, though, by late this afternoon are looking a lot better.”
Monahan expects the western suburbs to be done with the rain by Friday evening. The rest of the region will clear out overnight, he said, setting the stage for a dry and sunny weekend with highs in the low 80s each day.
“There’s no sign of any cool fall air over the next few days,” he said.
While the conditions will be right to enjoy some water activities, swimmers should steer clear of the Chattahoochee River this weekend. Runoff from recent rain has pushed E. coli bacteria levels “way above high risk,” Monahan said.
“You get fertilizer, you get chemicals from the roads (running) into the river, and that causes some big problems,” Monahan said. “If you have plans to get on the river this weekend, please be aware of that. It may take a few days for things to improve on the Chattahoochee.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
There are no early delays on I-285 Friday morning, and the Downtown Connector is moving at the speed limit in both directions at 6:30 a.m., according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“If you are coming in from the northern suburbs, you are looking pretty good,” traffic reporter Heather Catlin said. ”But we do have a crash in Henry County.”
The crash on I-75 South was causing delays in both directions before Bill Gardner Parkway in Locust Grove. A tractor-trailer was on its side and blocking a left lane, the Traffic Center reported.
Southside commuters can take Ga. 42 to get around the backups.
» 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.
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