TUESDAY’S WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Rain pounding metro Atlanta for morning drive

Heavy rain is pounding metro Atlanta on Tuesday morning and making for slick conditions on interstates and highways.

Gusty thunderstorms are moving slowly and have already inundated the northern suburbs with rain, according to Channel 2 Action News. They are moving east and have the potential to cause major traffic problems on metro Atlanta interstates.

Pouring across east Cobb and north Fulton right now -- occasional lightning as well.

I'm tracking the morning downpours -- now on Channel 2! @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/ZyYBH1OTuk
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) June 22, 2021

“The morning commute should be wet all the way through today,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “But by lunchtime, a cold front moving is through metro Atlanta, and that means our rain chances are going to start to shut down.”

Atlanta will have to get through a soggy morning first. After a rainy weekend, Monahan expects another inch or two of rain to fall Tuesday morning. A flash flood watch is in effect for counties north of the city until 2 p.m.

“We’re going to add it up over the next couple of hours,” Monahan said. “It will not take much additional rain to cause some problems.”

There are already issues on I-20 in DeKalb County, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Authorities temporarily blocked all eastbound lanes before Moreland Avenue to clear a rollover crash at 6:15 a.m.

TEMPORARY RED ALERT to Clear this Rollover Crash on I-20/eb before Moreland Ave. (exit 60) All lanes are closed, but should reopen soon. #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/T4xEjU9Dk3
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) June 22, 2021

Another crash on Ga. 400 was blocking a right southbound lane at the North Springs Marta Station, the Traffic Center reported. It was causing delays into Sandy Springs.

Crash on GA-400/sb at the N. Springs Marta Station blocks the right lane. Delays into Sandy Springs #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/0Hn4xCaJ07
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) June 22, 2021

Monahan expects the rain to become more scattered by late morning and come to an end after noon. Sunshine is also in the forecast Tuesday, he said.

“It’s going to get better later today,” he said. “More sunshine, drier weather for the afternoon. We’re looking much better after about 1 p.m.”

The rain will keep things cooler, with a high of just 79 degrees forecast for Atlanta. Even more sunshine is in the forecast Wednesday, and the city should warm right back up into the mid-80s, according to Channel 2.

While showers return Thursday, Monahan said widespread rain won’t be an issue for metro Atlanta again until the weekend.