The forecast calls for a sunny, dry weekend, but frigid temperatures might make Atlantans think twice about spending too much time outdoors.
A dry cold front is expected to move through the metro area throughout the day Saturday, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brad Nitz.
“Behind that front, gusty winds blowing in some much cooler air,” Nitz said. “And then from Saturday night into Sunday morning, that’s when it’s really going to be cold.”
The day will start in the mid-40s before warming to a high in the low-50s, but the temperature is expected to plunge into the 30s late Saturday night. By the mid-afternoon, Nitz expects winds to be gusting above 20 mph.
“Temperatures will be near or below freezing just about everywhere,” Nitz said about Saturday night.
Autumn leaf watching is at its peak in far North Georgia and will be soon around metro Atlanta. According to Nitz, leaf colors should be peaking in the city in the next seven to 10 days.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Despite the cold, the weekend weather is favorable for traffic conditions, but a home Georgia Tech game and lots of roadwork could create bottlenecks. Georgia Tech will kick off against Boston College at 3:30 p.m., so expect extra traffic around Midtown throughout the afternoon.
In Fulton County, overnight lane closures will be installed on I-75 near Moores Mill Road and Howell Mill Road for bridge rehabilitation, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. On I-85, overnight lane closures will be installed from the I-75 interchange north into DeKalb County near Clairmont Road for restriping.
Further north in Fulton there will be daytime lane closures on Cumming Highway and North Main Street thanks to a widening project. On Houze Road and Arnold Mill Road, there will also be daytime lane closures for resurfacing.
In Cobb County, daytime lane closures will be installed along Powder Springs Road for a widening project between New Mackland Road and Charles Hardy Parkway. Elsewhere on Powder Springs Road, lanes will be closed between Windy Hill and Sandtown roads for resurfacing. Weekend lane closures will also be in effect on Highway 92 for a widening and reconstruction project. In South Cobb, lanes will be closed overnight on I-20 between the Fulton and Douglas county lines for restriping.
DeKalb will see plenty of roadwork this weekend, including on I-85 near Cheshire Bridge Road for bridge rehabilitation. Near Spaghetti Junction, overnight lane closures will be installed on I-285 South between Chamblee Dunwoody and Snapfinger roads for restriping and safety improvements. On Buford Highway, overnight lane closures will be installed as a resurfacing project continues.
Between DeKalb and Clayton counties, expect to see plenty of lane closures around the interchange between I-285 and I-675 for bridge rehabilitation and concrete work. On the other side of Clayton, lanes will be closed for the weekend around the I-285 and I-75 interchange as crews continue to build new collector-distributor lanes.
As usual, work will continue around the I-285 and Ga. 400 interchange for the Transform 285/400 project, so expect lane closures and traffic pattern changes in the area.
» 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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