THURSDAY’S WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Breaks of sunshine to help Atlanta warm up

A little bit of sunshine will make all the difference Thursday afternoon.

Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said even limited amounts of sun will help North Georgia to warm up. Temperatures ended the day in the 50s Wednesday, but most of the region will reach the mid-60s Thursday, according to Channel 2.

“We will have a mostly cloudy sky still but more breaks of sunshine, and that will warm us back up into the 60s,” Monahan said.

Atlanta’s projected high Thursday is 66 degrees, which is closer to average lows than average highs for this time of year. Most of the region is in the 40s to begin the day.

Monahan expects temperatures to reach the 60s in time for first pitch at the Braves’ noon game at Truist Park. While a sweatshirt or jacket might be warranted at the ballpark, Monahan said it’s still an improvement from the day before.

Another improvement? The widespread rain from Wednesday morning is gone, leaving behind only a stray chance of a shower later Thursday afternoon. Roads are dry for the Thursday morning drive.

“We don’t have rain to deal with, but we do have that cool weather out there for commuters heading into to work early this morning,” Monahan said. “Chilly and mostly cloudy for the ride into work. Might be a few patchy areas of fog.”

Visibility could be reduced for those headed outside the Perimeter, he said.

“Heading home from work, we’ll have sunshine, but we will also mix in a stray shower, and that will be it for the rain chances into the weekend,” Monahan said.

Rain does not return to the forecast until Monday, which carries a 20% chance of a shower, according to Channel 2. By then, Monahan expects temperatures will return to the low 80s, which is more typical of mid-May.

Despite a few early crashes, the Thursday morning drive is off to a smooth start, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

There are no major delays on any metro Atlanta interstate at 6 a.m.

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

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