After a bitterly cold weekend that brought damaging wind and snow flurries to parts of North Georgia, seasonable temperatures are back in the forecast Monday.
According to Channel 2 Action News, Atlanta is headed for a high of 63 degrees, and the gusty wind that contributed to weekend wind chills in the teens and 20s is long gone. The city is off to a chilly start with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, but Channel 2 meteorologist Eboni Deon said a warm coat won’t be needed for much longer.
“Later today, you can shed a few of those layers,” she said. “We actually have temperatures that are going to be warming up over the next few days, and then falling just short of our average high. But at least we’re getting back on track.”
Deon expects all of North Georgia to break into the 40s by 8 a.m. and into the mid-50s by lunchtime. Most of the region will stay dry and mostly clear throughout the day before clouds roll in later this evening, she said.
North Georgia will see “wall-to-wall sunshine” Monday, according to Deon.
“We’re really keeping things on the quiet side for the afternoon,” she said. “High pressure is still sitting nearby, and that’s giving way to the dry weather conditions we’ve had around for the weekend, and for today as well.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
With the drier conditions and warmer weather this week, Deon expects pollen counts to rise. The count dropped back into the double digits last week with several days of rain, but Deon said allergy sufferers are likely to notice stuffy noses and itchy eyes early this week.
She expects to see “a bit of a cooldown” Tuesday and Wednesday as clouds and rain return to the forecast. It will be drier and warmer by St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday, Deon said.
“Tuesday going into Wednesday, that’s when we will need to start to pull the rain gear back out as our rain will start to go back up,” she said. Showers are 40% likely Tuesday evening and 70% likely Wednesday, according to the latest forecast.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Most metro Atlanta interstates are moving at speed limit conditions at the start of the Monday morning drive, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“Overall metro Atlanta is looking pretty good,” traffic reporter Mike Shields said at 6:30 a.m. “But our trouble spot has been I-75 in both directions in Cobb County.”
An earlier crash in the northbound lanes has cleared, but southbound commuters are still dealing with a long-lasting truck fire that is slowing the ride out of Kennesaw, he said. Expect a tap of the brakes passing Barrett Parkway.
The trip time from Wade Green Road to I-285 was a slow 20 minutes at 6:30 a.m., according to the Traffic Center.
» 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.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
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