WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Wreck jams Gwinnett travel, while light volume eases evening commute

On most interstates, Monday’s evening commute hasn’t been too bad due to lighter volume.

However, I-85 in Gwinnett County is the exception.

A southbound wreck near Jimmy Carter Boulevard still has one right lane blocked after clogging up several earlier during the afternoon, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Delays span back near Ga. 316.

The slowest spot outside of Gwinnett is in south Fulton County after a crash on I-85 South near Ga. 74, the Traffic Center reported. The crash has cleared, but some delays linger.

Otherwise, the lighter volume is thanks to most metro Atlanta school districts being on break for Thanksgiving week, the Traffic Center reported. Peak holiday travel is not expected until late in the day Wednesday.

Also, construction will no longer be an issue by Wednesday, for a little while anyway. The Georgia Department of Transportation is suspending lane closures from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Monday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

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Some areas of North Georgia woke up to freezing weather Monday morning, but temperatures were nowhere near freezing this afternoon, according to Channel 2 Action News. Atlanta peaked at 62 degrees.

Whenever that happens this time of year, you almost always know there's rain coming. And there is some coming later this week, Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

He said an increase in cloud cover, the first sign that rain is on the way, will be noticeable Tuesday morning. North Georgia is expected to stay dry most of the day Tuesday, but showers will begin moving in late in the evening, he said. The busy Thanksgiving travel day on Wednesday will be impacted.

“Tuesday night into Wednesday, there will be parts of North Georgia that could pick up an inch or more of rain,” Monahan said. “That’s on top of some of that heavy rain we saw on Saturday.”

More storms are in the forecast Wednesday with a 70% chance of rain. The inclement weather will not be confined to North Georgia, Monahan said.

Big travel destinations from the Midwest to the Northeast are expected to see rain or snowstorms. In Minneapolis, six or more inches of snow are in the forecast Wednesday, and heavy rain could impact travel from Chicago to New York, according to Channel 2.

“Then it gets really windy, and that could mean some of those big balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York potentially could have some problems because of some strong wind gusts there and cold temperatures,” Monahan said.

The weather closer to home will turn nice Thursday, he said. No rain is in the forecast for Thanksgiving Day, and afternoon highs should be in the low 60s.

North Georgia is looking at another warmup this weekend and headed into next week, according to Channel 2.

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

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