A full-fledged snow storm is blanketing parts of the South, but North Georgia won’t get in on the action Monday.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said this will not be the storm that gives Georgia its first significant snow of the year. A dusting of snow is possible in the mountains Monday, he said, and even some parts of northwest metro Atlanta could get up to a half-inch of snow on the ground.
“Not all of this is reaching the ground,” Monahan said Monday morning. “The air is still pretty dry underneath the clouds. We’re going to expect a mix of rain and sleet and snow showers, and a little sleet could mix in around metro Atlanta.”
There is a 60% chance of precipitation Monday, frozen or not, according to Channel 2. Monahan said pavement should stay dry across the city for the start of the morning drive, as most of the rain is still off to the west.
He expects the rain to pick up around 1 p.m.
“At times the air is just barely cold enough, even in metro Atlanta, to give us the chance of a little sleet mixing in as well,” he said.
Temperatures are starting the day in the upper 30s in Atlanta and should only reach a projected high of 43 degrees Monday afternoon. While the mountains will have a moderate chance of a wintry mix, Monahan said there is a low risk of slick travel.
“Pavement temperatures, I think, will generally be above freezing,” he said. “I do not think we’ll have to deal with any icy patches or anything like that.”
The chance of a wintry mix in the mountains extends into late Monday afternoon, according to Channel 2. The rain, snow and sleet should clear out overnight, setting up North Georgia for a stretch of dry days.
“Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday we will stay quiet,” Monahan said. “We’ve got another little front coming in Friday with our next chance of some rain.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Pavement may be dry Monday morning, but Gwinnett County commuters are encountering another kind of traffic problem.
Police activity has shut down all lanes of U.S. 78 in both directions between Crestview and Rosebud roads, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. The lanes could be blocked for the majority of the Monday morning commute.
“Heavy police activity continues, shutting down highway 78 in Gwinnett County,” traffic reporter Mark Arum said. “Getting confirmation from the authorities that this is an officer-involved shooting.”
No details about the shooting have been released. Drivers can take Ga. 20 to Ga. 84 to get around the closure and back to U.S. 78, Arum said.
» 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.
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