MONDAY’S WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Atlanta settles into a warm, mainly dry week

After last week’s thorough soaking, North Georgia is flipping the script to sunny skies, warm weather and dry conditions.

There is not a raindrop in sight Monday, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon. In fact, North Georgia should stay mostly dry all week, with only a 10% chance of a stray shower in Tuesday’s forecast.

“It is going to be fabulous,” Deon said. “We’re keeping it dry, and we’re staying warm later today. Partly cloudy skies and temperatures rising into the low 80s.”

Atlanta’s projected high is 81 degrees Monday, which feels more like late summer than early fall. Deon said temperatures will remain above average all week, eventually reaching the mid-80s by Friday.

According to Deon, temperatures should still be in the 70s at 1:07 p.m. when the first pitch is thrown for Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Truist Park. The weather looks great all the way through the game, she said.

Weather conditions “really aren’t changing that much” over the next several days, she said. High pressure will dominate North Georgia’s weather, she said, keeping things dry and comfortable.

A front making its way east could trigger a few sprinkles Tuesday, but Deon said it is not cause for concern.

“It’s going to approach later tonight into early on Tuesday,” she said. “We might see a few extra clouds building in into far northwest Georgia, but for the most part we are going to stay on the dry side.”

Widespread rain does not return to the forecast until Saturday, when Deon said the next weather front will arrive. A 40% chance of rain is in Saturday’s forecast, but Sunday is looking pretty dry, according to Channel 2.

The weather might be looking up, but conditions on metro Atlanta highways are deteriorating Monday morning, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

“We can just be grateful for the good weather right now,” traffic reporter Heather Catlin said at 6:30 a.m. “If you are on I-20, the east freeway, things are not looking too good for you.”

Multiple crashes have made a mess of things on I-20 West. The latest wreck was blocking a center lane west of Wesley Chapel Road, adding to the already slow ride out of Lithonia, the Traffic Center reported.

DeKalb County commuters should take Covington Highway instead.

There are also major delays on I-285 South after a vehicle caught fire at Camp Creek Parkway. Only a left lane was open at 6:30 a.m., according to the Traffic Center.

South of the city, I-75 South remains shut down in Butts County. Drivers can use Ga. 155 or U.S. 41 until the interstate reopens.

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.