Heavy overnight rain that spilled over into the Monday morning commute tapered off shortly after daybreak, but not before leaving scattered damage and a making a mess of the rush hour.
Trees fell on at least two houses in southwest Atlanta during the predawn deluge.
Rainfall totals through 7:30 a.m. included 2.93 inches near Mableton, 2.53 inches in Alpharetta, 2.50 inches in Dunwoody and 2.37 inches at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Among the wrecks reported in the heavy rain was one involving a jackknifed tractor-trailer that blocked all southbound lanes of I-75 near Red Top Mountain Road in Bartow County.
Deep standing water was reported in several spots on I-75 inside the Perimeter before daybreak. At least one wreck occurred near West Paces Ferry Road in an area where water had ponded.
At one point, authorities blocked all southbound lanes of I-75 past West Paces Ferry.
In southwest Atlanta, a tree fell on a home on Shanter Trail around 2 a.m., briefly trapping a man inside the home.
Just before 5 a.m., a tree came down onto a house on Enota Place. Atlanta fire Capt. Jason Whidby said two women who were in the home when the 3-foot diameter tree came down were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Neighbor Jerry Bewmont told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that a woman and her adult daughter live in the house.
“The daughter was able to scramble and get out of the house; I think she crawled out a window,” Bewmont said. “But mom was pinned in and the fire department had to go in and get her.”
Firetrucks and a huge downed tree are “not what you want to wake up to see,” Bewmont said. “All the trees around here are real old, so it gets a little scary.”
Authorities in Sandy Springs reported at 8 a.m. that downed utility lines blocked Powers Ferry Road between Rebel Trail and Mount Paran Road.
The good news, according to Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton, is that the last of the rain was “fizzling out” at 8 a.m.
Minton said skies should clear by the afternoon, leaving sunny conditions in her forecast for the rest of the work week.
Temperatures will be much cooler, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday, Minton said.
Highs will be in the low 70s Monday, mid-60s Tuesday and upper 60s Wednesday, then warm back into the mid-70s Thursday and Friday.
Lows this week will be in the 50s.
Staff photographer John Spink contributed to this article.
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