Sweltering heat, thunderstorms and heavy traffic may sound like a recipe for a lousy weekend -- but it still beats a good workday.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz is calling for showers and temperatures in the mid-90s both Saturday and Sunday.
"It’ll be very hot today and through the weekend," Nitz said. "Highs today will be in the low to mid-90s with very little hope for rain cooling us off," he said. "Any showers and storms will be very isolated." He put the chance of rain Friday at 20 percent.
"For the weekend rain chances go up a little," Nitz said, but the temperature will be going up too. Saturday’s high will be 96, Nitz said, with a 30 percent chance of afternoon storms. Sunday's high will be 94, with a 40 percent chance of afternoon storms.
The Georgia DOT, meanwhile, has issued its own forecast: heavy traffic on two metro Atlanta interstates, particularly I-285, as summer paving projects continue.
Motorists can expect delays on the Downtown Connector south of I-20 and on I-285 between Chamblee-Tucker Road and Ashford Dunwoody Road.
The biggest headache is likely to be I-285, with two right eastbound lanes closed from Peachtree Industrial Boulevard to Buford Highway and two left westbound lanes closed from Chamblee-Tucker to Ashford Dunwoody on Saturday and Sunday.
On the Downtown Connector, three right southbound lanes will be closed from University Avenue to Cleveland Avenue both days. The southbound ramps to Metropolitan Parkway and Langford Parkway will also be closed for resurfacing. Detours will be in place for those ramps.
“We think the I-285 project will create the most delays this weekend,” said DOT Construction Engineer Lee Upkins. “The best advice I can give motorists is to plan ahead.”
In DeKalb County, one left lane of the I-285 southbound ramp to I-20 east will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for installation of storm drain pipe.
The Braves play a three-game series with the Florida Marlins at Turner Field, and that could further snarl traffic on the Connector. Friday's game begins at 7:35, with Saturday's at 7:10, and Sunday's at 1:35.
The only major downtown entertainment event scheduled this weekend is the Drum Corps International Southeastern Championship, at the Georgia Dome, starting at 1:30 and continuing all night. A Ke$ha concert is expected to draw big crowds to Gwinnett Arena Saturday night at 7:30.
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