WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Rain hangs around after New Year’s Eve celebrations

ATLANTA FORECAST

Monday: High: 70

Monday night: Low: 60

Tuesday: High: 66

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

Rain gradually moved into metro Atlanta on Monday night as clocks ticked closer to 2019.

Light to moderate showers moved in from Alabama to communities northwest of Atlanta, and eventually covered most of the metro area, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Katie Walls.

Some of the rain was heavy and accompanied lightning.

During nighttime celebrations like the Peach Drop in downtown Atlanta, “light rain showers will be impacting us,” Walls said in her forecast. And she was correct.

The rain is expected to continue into 2019.

Temperatures are expected to stay relatively warm during the night, with a forecast low of 60.

Expect some rain on Tuesday with highs in 60s, Walls said.

As expected on Monday, volume remains light on metro Atlanta roadways, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

Later Monday, there was a bit of a slowdown at Spaghetti Junction, where an earlier crash knocked a portion of a wall off the ramp from I-285 East to I-85 North. Crews with the Georgia Department of Transportation were working in the afternoon to make repairs, Channel 2 reported.

In Powder Springs, all westbound lanes of Richard D. Sailors Parkway were shut down earlier at C.H. James Parkway while authorities worked to put out a tractor-trailer fire, according to the Traffic Center.

Those planning to avoid the traffic Monday night and take MARTA should note the transit agency is operating on a modified schedule.

Atlanta warmed up to 70 degrees Monday. That’s not far from the record high of 73 set in 1984. It’s currently 68.

“Today will be much more comfortable than last year’s New Year’s Eve when our high was only 36 degrees,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz said Monday.

The rain Monday night likely won’t be enough to push 2018 into the top spot for wettest year on record, Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. Currently, 2018 is sitting just shy of 70 inches as the second-wettest year, behind the record 71.45 inches set in 1948.

“I think we are going to fall short of the wettest year on record in Atlanta, but we're going to see over 70 inches of rain this year,” Monahan said.

The overnight showers should stick around Tuesday morning, with a 60 percent chance of rain for the first day of 2019. More rain is expected throughout the week before the sun returns for the weekend, according to the latest forecast.