The rainy pattern that metro Atlanta has been stuck in all week is expected to continue through the weekend, but showers or not, large crowds are expected downtown for a big music festival and Sunday’s opening game of the NBA Playoffs.
All of the rain could also put a damper on several weekend road construction projects.
Here’s what you need to know about the chances of rain, the planned interstate lane closures and the big schedule of events:
Roadwork to return after two-weekend hiatus
Metro Atlanta motorists enjoyed a spring “break” from weekend roadwork the past two weekends, but construction crews will be out in force this weekend, weather permitting.
On I-20, two lanes in each direction will be shut down all weekend near Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard for bridge joint repairs, while outside the Perimeter, two westbound lanes will be closed between Fulton Industrial Boulevard and Six Flags Parkway. In Rockdale County, one westbound lane of I-20 will be closed for paving in the area of Ga. 138.
On the southwest section of I-285, sign structure work will block two northbound lanes of the Perimeter from Camp Creek Parkway to Ga. 166, as well as one southbound lane between Cascade Road and Ga. 166 throughout the weekend.
Also on I-285, concrete rehabilitation will close two northbound lanes between Hollowell Parkway and Bolton Road and two southbound lanes from South Atlanta Road to Bolton Road all weekend, and sign structure work will close two northbound lanes of the Perimeter between Northlake Parkway and Chamblee Tucker Road from 7:30 p.m. Friday through 3 p.m. Saturday.
In Cobb County, work on the I-75 Express Lanes project will require crews to shift traffic on I-75 southbound between Delk and Windy Hill roads from 9 p.m. Friday through 10 a.m. Saturday.
»Click here for up-to-the-minute traffic updates throughout the weekend
Rain chance drops a little Saturday, but goes way back up on Sunday
Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said the chance of rain and thunderstorms is 60 percent Friday, 30 percent Saturday and 90 percent Sunday, with weekend highs in the mid-70s and lows in the upper 50s to low 60s.
The National Weather Service said some storms could become strong on Sunday, with periods of moderate to heavy rainfall possible from Sunday morning through Monday afternoon.
“We’re not going to dry out until Tuesday of next week,” Minton said Friday.
»Check the full weekend forecast and track changes
SweetWater 420 Fest, basketball playoffs top downtown events
Centennial Olympic Park hosts the annual SweetWater 420 Fest Friday through Sunday, with 48 bands scheduled to perform on two stages.
The Hawks play Brooklyn in the first game of the NBA Playoffs at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Philips Arena.
Other events this weekend include the 39th annual Big Shanty Festival Saturday and Sunday in downtown Kennesaw, Saturday’s McDonough Arts Fest on the square in McDonough and the Sandy Springs Artsapalooza Saturday and Sunday in the 6100 block of Lake Forrest Drive.
