Rain, thunderstorms could put damper on weekend
There’s no shortage of outdoor events around metro Atlanta this weekend, from Braves games, concerts in Centennial Olympic Park and a big street festival along Peachtree to the ubiquitous weekend road construction projects, but Mother Nature might have other plans.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton said there’s a 60 percent chance of rain Saturday, decreasing slightly to 50 percent for Sunday.
She said metro Atlanta “may even get a rumble of thunder going into the afternoon” on Saturday. While no severe storms are expected, the National Weather Service said a few of the thunderstorms could be strong during the warmest part of the afternoon.
The rain should subside Sunday morning, but will likely return during the afternoon, according to Minton.
Weekend highs will be in the low 80s, with lows in the mid-60s.
Light showers were already reported in west Cobb County late Friday morning, and Weather Service radar showed a large area of heavier rain tracking across northern Alabama at 11 a.m.
All that rain could put a damper on several outdoor events, including Braves-Dodgers games Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon at Turner Field.
Also this weekend, Centennial Olympic Park hosts a “Party in the Park” concert beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and continuing into the evening.
Emory University is hosting the Special Olympics Georgia State Summer Games, which begin with Friday night’s opening ceremony and continue through Sunday.
On Sunday, a 2.5 mile stretch of Peachtree Street from Spring Street in Midtown southward to Ellis Street will be closed to all motorized vehicles from 2 to 6 p.m. for Atlanta Streets Alive, an event that organizers say is aimed at encouraging Atlanta to develop streets that are more friendly for pedestrians, bicyclists and skaters.
Doug Turnbull in the AM750 and 95.5FM News/Talk WSB Traffic Center warned that Sunday’s Peachtree Street closure could cause traffic in the area to be “especially aggravated when the afternoon Braves game ends.”
Events outside the Perimeter include the Marietta Greek Festival, running Friday through Sunday at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodoz Church on Trickum Road, the Canton Festival of Arts Saturday and Sunday at Brown Park and the eighth-annual Mableton Day festival Saturday at the Mable House.
Several interstate lane closures are also planned this weekend, if the rain holds off long enough.
On the top-end Perimeter, crews plan to close two lanes in each direction between Paces Ferry and Powers Ferry roads, and again between Riverside Drive and Chamblee Dunwoody roads, beginning at 9 p.m. Friday and continuing through 5 a.m. Monday.
In DeKalb County, two right lanes of I-20 eastbound will be closed the same hours between Columbia Drive and Panola Road.
Just north of Spaghetti Junction, up to three lanes of I-85 northbound could be shut down from Pleasantdale Road to Jimmy Carter Boulevard.
North of there, three right lanes of I-85 southbound could be blocked from Indian Trail Road to Jimmy Carter Boulevard.
Another event likely to jam local roads, rain or shine, is President Obama’s Sunday visit to Morehouse College, where he will speak at the 11 a.m. commencement. While the motorcade route has not been released, Turnbull said to expect rolling road closures either between Dobbins Air Reserve Base and Morehouse or between Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and Morehouse, before and after the ceremony.
“This could mix with Braves traffic and make the delays worse,” Turnbull said.
