SATURDAY’S WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Big day blessed with unseasonably warm temps

A weak cold front will pass over the metro area during the day Saturday, bringing with it the small drop in temperature but luckily no rain, Nitz said. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures throughout the day. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is hosting the SEC Championship Game, has not announced if its trademark roof aperture will be open or closed.

The game, featuring the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs against No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide, is likely to be inescapable in metro Atlanta on Saturday. Traffic is expected to be heavy all day, with festivities beginning in the early afternoon and tailgating in the downtown area around the stadium likely to start much, much earlier.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Expect to see an increased police presence as the Atlanta Police Department gears up for a busy weekend and holiday season. APD officials announced a plan for increased security and additional patrols in a news conference Friday.

Anyone traveling from northwest of the metro area will need to plan for serious traffic on I-75 South heading into Cartersville. An emergency bridge closure has created a major bottleneck just south of exit 296 for Cass White Road in Bartow County.

Though the SEC Championship is expected to clog roads around metro Atlanta throughout the day, many ongoing roadwork projects are expected to continue, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. In addition to the usual roadwork and a major sporting event, parts of Main Street in College Park will be shut down for the city’s Christmas Parade, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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

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