Rain is headed for metro Atlanta on Friday, but much of it should hold off until after dark.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said a system of showers and storms is moving toward Georgia from the northwest. A 60% chance of rain is in the forecast.
“Here's some good news for you: It’s not going to come until very late today,” Monahan said. “Most of the day is going to be nice and dry for us as we head through the afternoon. We're going to be really warm again, too.”
Temperatures are again headed for the upper 70s and low 80s on the first full day of spring. A forecast high of 79 degrees for Atlanta will feel more like May, Monahan said.
The city is already warm to start the day with temperatures in the mid-60s. By lunchtime, Monahan said numbers will reach the 70s and rain chances will increase slightly.
“For the most part, it will be dry and it will be warm,” he said. “A little breezy, too.”
The warm and mainly dry conditions from the past few days have resulted in a “pollen explosion,” Monahan said. At 1,668 pollen particles per cubic meter of air, Friday’s pollen count is the first this year to hit four digits.
Trees like pine, oak, birch, sweetgum and hackberry are the top contributors, according to Atlanta Allergy and Asthma, the organization that tracks the daily count.
Monahan said the rain moving in Friday night should help the count come down.
Before it arrives, he said North Georgia can expect to see a partly cloudy sky. There should be very little weather impact to travel for much of Friday until rain chances increase around the time of the typical evening rush, according to Channel 2.
“Especially northwest of Atlanta by the evening hours tonight, that’s where the rain chances will be highest,” Monahan said. “And then late tonight, we'll start to see some of that rain work in toward the Southside.”
Most of North Georgia will be in the rain by the time the day is over, he said. According to Channel 2, showers should be scattered around metro Atlanta around 8 p.m. and move south of the city by midnight.
“By the time you wake up Saturday, I think the rain is over, and we'll have some sunshine tomorrow afternoon,” Monahan said. “Its going to be just a bit cooler for your Saturday. Still a nice day, though.
Saturday’s projected high is 73 degrees. Monahan said it will be the best day to get outside and enjoy the weekend before more clouds move in Sunday, and rain is 80% likely.
Those headed out Friday morning should not encounter any issues on the interstates, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
“Zero congestion spots for now,” traffic reporter Mark Arum said. “That could change, of course.”
Conditions remain lighter than normal with less drivers commuting to work and Georgia schools closed amid the coronavirus crisis.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
About the Author
