Metro Atlanta was spared the worst impacts when Tropical Storm Elsa passed to the south on Wednesday evening.
The storm continues to move north and east on Thursday morning, threatening the South Carolina coast with heavy rain and tropical storm-force winds. In its wake, one person is dead in Florida and several others are injured in southeast Georgia after Elsa spawned a possible tornado and caused damage at a Navy base.
Locally, the storm produced heavy rain. Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon said Elsa’s rain bands are pulling away from Georgia on Thursday, but tropical moisture left behind could provide the fuel for more showers and storms this afternoon.
“We’re not expecting to see severe storms,” she said. “However, later today a couple of storms could become strong with the heavy rain, also maybe dealing with the gusty winds.”
Rain chances are expected to pick up after about 1 p.m. On Thursday morning, Deon said some are dealing with light, spotty showers.
“As you’re traveling from Fulton County over to DeKalb County, you might have to turn on the windshield wipers, just briefly,” she said. “More of a nuisance than anything. Not really tracking anything in the way of widespread rain, and I’m not expecting that as we go through the day.”
Deon said Thursday will be “ a warm, humid one” with high temperatures topping out in the mid- to upper 80s. A projected high of 85 degrees in Atlanta is slightly below average, but she said it will still feel sticky with the tropical moisture in place.
Temperatures are expected to fall back into the 70s overnight for a mild start Friday morning. Another round of rain and storms is in the forecast Friday, with a projected high of 86 degrees to end the work week, according to Channel 2.
“That chance of rain lasts through the weekend, but temperatures are going to turn hotter,” Deon said. Saturday should be the warmest this week with highs in the upper 80s, she said.
Rain chances are waffling between 40% and 60% from Thursday and into early next week, according to the latest forecast.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
A little rain Thursday morning is not impacting the morning commute, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. There are no major delays on any metro Atlanta interstates at 6:30 a.m.
Things are moving smoothly through the city on the Downtown Connector after an earlier crash was cleared at the I-20 interchange, the Traffic Center reported. All lanes are open, and there are only slight northbound delays getting into downtown.
And on I-85, Gwinnett County commuters are being treated to “a good ride into Norcross,” according to the Traffic Center. Volume is building in the southbound lanes leaving Duluth.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
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