A band of heavy rain is pushing into metro Atlanta on Monday morning, bringing gusty wind and much cooler weather.
The rain is arriving on the edge of cold front, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan. Once the front passes through, temperatures in the upper 60s Monday morning will drop about 15 degrees, he said.
“It’s going to be a day with off-and-on rain, off-and-on showers and much cooler temperatures,” Monahan said. “We’re going to stay in the clouds the next couple of days.”
The heaviest rain is moving through during the morning commute. Monahan said winds could gust up to 40 mph, but he does not expect any of the downpours to turn severe.
“There’s no lightning with this, so that’s some good news there,” he said.
By 1 p.m., he expects metro Atlanta will be clear of the cold front. A projected high of 60 degrees this afternoon is actually about average for this time of year, according to Channel 2.
Monahan said shower activity should become more scattered Monday evening, with a few overnight sprinkles and showers lingering into Tuesday morning.
“But I don’t think its going to be the heavy rain we see this morning across a lot of metro Atlanta,” he said. “We will save that for later in the day on Tuesday.”
Showers and downpours will increase later in the day Tuesday, he said, and temperatures will fall even further. Atlanta is not expected to get out of the 40s all day.
The region will get a chance to dry out Wednesday, and temperatures will return to the low 60s Thursday and Friday under lots of sunshine, according to Channel 2.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Wet pavement and multiple crashes Monday morning have contributed to early delays on metro Atlanta interstates, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“Strong wind gusts, heavy rain are definitely going to slow down your morning commute,” Monahan said. “Expecting a high impact for the rain over the next couple of hours.”
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
The biggest delays are in Gwinnett County, where a crash investigation is blocking multiple lanes on I-85 North at Indian Trail Road, the Traffic Center reported. Northbound commuters can take Buford Highway or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard to avoid the backups.
At least things are looking up in Midtown, where work to remove a malfunctioned crane on West Peachtree Street is making progress. Two left lanes are now open heading north, while a right lane remains closed at 12th Street, according to the Traffic Center.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
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