It may not feel like the holidays outside, but drivers are definitely feeling the effects.
Atlanta weather has peaked in the mid-50s with not a raindrop in sight, but Atlanta traffic is gridlocked due to the holiday rush, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
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I-75 on the Southside is especially being hit hard, with average traffic speeds being 20 mph or less between Bill Gardner Parkway and Jonesboro Road, the Traffic Center reported.
That rush — and holiday spirit — will continue Friday evening as fans flock to State Farm Arena for the Jingle Ball concert and SunTrust Park for the Big Air event.
Jingle Ball will feature the Jonas Brothers, Khalid, Niall Horan and many other popular musicians. To avoid being a "Sucker," attendees "Better" make sure to plan for extra traffic across "This Town," since Atlanta's pop music fans will all be heading in One Direction.
Sorry, we’ll stop now.
The two-night Visa Big Air event has transformed SunTrust Park into a winter wonderland. Eight-hundred tons of manufactured snow and an 150-foot-tall ski jump structure will welcome patrons to a weekend of skiing and snowboarding in Cobb County.
Traffic near the stadium will also pick up by 7 p.m., which is when the event will begin broadcasting on the NBC Sports Network.
Not only has Atlanta warmed up after another chilly morning, but the sky has filled with clouds throughout the afternoon, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Katie Walls said. However, she said the lack of precipitation means the cloud cover might help travel more than hurt it.
“For those of you hitting the highway today, especially this afternoon, I’m not worried about sunshine delays, just cloud cover,” she said. “Rain is not a factor.”
More Americans are expected to travel this holiday season than ever before. Data compiled by AAA reports 115.6 million people will travel from Saturday through Jan. 1.
In Georgia, more than 3 million travelers are predicted to hit the roads. Motorists can expect to see a 3.7% increase in volume, according to AAA.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
On Saturday morning, North Georgia is looking to break its streak of freezing morning lows with the cloud cover “serving as a bit of a blanket” to trap in heat, Walls said. Metro Atlanta should wake up to temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s for the official start of winter.
“These warmer temperatures and the cloud cover today are ahead of an approaching weather system that will be increasing rain chances Saturday night into Sunday,” she said.
MORE: Above-average temps dash dreams of a white Christmas
It’s not until late in the day Saturday that rain becomes about 20% likely, according to Channel 2. Overnight, that chance ramps up to about 80% for Sunday morning.
» 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.
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