WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Traffic not ‘perfect’ ahead of Ed Sheeran concert, freeze warnings

ATLANTA FORECAST

Friday: High: 61

Friday night: Low: 36

Saturday: High: 51

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

Downtown traffic remains heavy even as the evening commute begins to cool down ahead of the Ed Sheeran show at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 7 p.m.

After that, overnight free warnings will go into effect for northern metro Atlanta, Channel 2 Action News reported.

The worst traffic is on I-85 North near Shallowford Road, where four left lanes are blocked by a wreck, the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reported.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s gates opened at 5 p.m., but fans of the opening act, Snow Patrol, could make downtown just a little more congested ahead of Sheeran taking the stage.

RELATED: Ed Sheeran at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: tickets, parking, opening acts and more

The Detroit Pistons also visit the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena. It’ll be the first of two “Celebrating 50 Years” games the Hawks host to, well, celebrate their 50th season in Atlanta.

This means the court with be gold and black, the team will wear custom-made Nike City Edition Collection uniforms and attendees will receive a Hawks and Budweiser co-branded towel.

MORE: Hawks to mark half-century in Atlanta with 50 acts to help 50K people

A freeze warning covering Cherokee, Bartow, Paulding and other counties north of Atlanta is scheduled to go into effect at 3 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

RELATED: More on the freeze warning

A freeze warning is issued when significant, widespread freezing temperatures are expected, the Weather Service said. Temperatures could dip into the upper 20s to low 30s between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m., when the warning is set to expire.

RELATED: How – and when – to protect your pipes from freezing

MORE: How and when to cover plants during cold weather

Atlanta and areas south of I-20 are expected to start off Saturday in the mid-30s, according to the latest forecast.

Things should warm up to a brisk 52 degrees in the afternoon before a freeze watch that covers all of metro Atlanta and most of North Georgia goes into effect at 9 p.m. Saturday.

RELATED: More on the freeze watch

A freeze watch is issued when there is a potential for significant, widespread freezing temperatures within the next 24 to 36 hours, according to the Weather Service.

The latest forecast indicates Atlanta could wake up Sunday to temperatures in the mid-30s before the watch expires at 10 a.m.

That’s just a taste of what’s to come next week, after a more vigorous cold front moves through Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday, Atlanta could see morning temperatures in the upper 20s.

“Last time we were that cold was Jan. 31,” Minton said.