SATURDAY’S WEATHER-TRAFFIC: After scorching week, cooler temps for holiday weekend

Memorial Day Weekend has a special treat in store for Atlantans weary of a long, hot and dry week: unseasonably cool temperatures along with mostly clear skies.

“A really robust late-season cold front roaring through northern Georgia,” Channel 2 Action News Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns said. “It should be really nice weather for this weekend, but it is going to be unseasonably chilly.”

After a week of high temperatures in the mid-90s, Saturday’s high is just 74 degrees. Rain associated with the cold front should clear out overnight, with a few clouds remaining but no chance of showers.

After the big temperature swing Saturday, a mild warming trend will take hold through the weekend and beyond Memorial Day.

“Big changes ahead, and we’re going to warm up again,” Burns said. “Monday, Memorial Day, it looks great: mostly sunny sky, low of 58 and a high of 83.”

Weather may not be a concern for the weekend, but traffic certainly is. Although the holiday weekend means less roadwork, expect increased volume from holiday travel and multiple sporting events.

Atlanta United will be playing at home Saturday as they take on Nashville SC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 3:30 p.m. The holiday matchup is likely to bring in a big crowd, so watch out for delays near the downtown stadium in the afternoon.

The Atlanta Hawks have returned to town in their first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks. With State Farm Arena functioning at full capacity once again, expect serious traffic around the Hawks’ home court when they play at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

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