WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Construction leads to delays as afternoon commute gets underway

ATLANTA FORECAST

Friday: High: 83

Friday night: Low: 66

Saturday: High: 85

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

Construction crews are taking advantage of the sunny skies and cooler temperatures, and the work is leading to backups on the Downtown Connector just as people are preparing for the Friday afternoon commute.

Roadwork also has Northside Drive near Marietta Street reduced to one lane, which is causing delays, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

And all southbound lanes of Peachtree Street will be blocked at times Friday for construction, and delays are expected to be heavy through downtown Atlanta, the Traffic Center reported. Take Northside Drive as an alternate route.

The Northern Perimeter is also started to get congested. I-75 in Cobb County is also backed up after a wreck blocked three left lanes before I-285, the Traffic Center reported.

North Georgia’s sunny, cooler streak is expected to continue through the weekend.

There’s no chance of rain Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and temperatures should stick to the 80s, according to the latest forecast from Channel 2 Action News.

“Skies are going to stay mainly fair over the next few days with temperatures quite comfortable,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said.

Currently, it is 80 degrees in Atlanta.

North Georgia is benefiting from an area of high pressure off the East Coast that is keeping humidity and summertime storms at bay.

“We are going to find our weather gradually warming and the moisture gradually increasing, too, so the humidity will return,” Minton said. “But we still have a really great-looking weekend to get through with no rain, temperatures not too bad, and we’re seeing morning lows tomorrow in the low 60s in town.”

The weekend will also bring back construction on I-285 and I-75 in Cobb County for a resurfacing project, which has caused delays the past few weekends.