WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Gas leak affects Cherokee County streets; storm chance increases overnight

Traffic problems are beginning to pop up during Monday’s evening commute, especially in Cherokee and DeKalb counties.

Ga. 140 in Cherokee is blocked from Jep Wheeler Road to Park Creek Drive due to a gas leak, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The road isn’t expected to reopen until 8:30 p.m. at the earliest.

In DeKalb, multiple wrecks are slowing things down, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Near Stone Mountain, a left lane of Ga. 78 East is blocked due to a crash, creating delays back to I-285.

Speaking of the Perimeter, a left lane of the inner loop is blocked past East Ponce de Leon Avenue, according to the Traffic Center.

A system that brought severe weather to parts of Texas is making its way toward North Georgia. A line of strong storms is not expected to reach the state until overnight, according to Channel 2 Action News.

While Georgia waits, Monday has been a pretty nice day outside.

Atlanta is enjoying mild temperatures, a light breeze and dry conditions for the start of the work week, Channel 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz said.

The city has reached its expected high of 76 degrees under a mix of clouds and sunshine, according to Channel 2.

“The bulk of the showers remain in Alabama ... the whole system is moving eastward, however,” Nitz said.

A major tornado hit Dallas, Texas, late Sunday night, devastating homes and leaving tens of thousands without power. The same system continues to trigger tornado watches and is an ongoing severe weather threat as it moves east, Nitz said.

The line of storms will have broken up significantly by the time it reaches North Georgia after midnight, he said. It is forecast to batter the state with rain and isolated strong wind gusts.

“One thing that is going to be working in our favor is that the available storm energy is fairly low across metro Atlanta and North Georgia,” Nitz said. “Middle Georgia and especially South Georgia and North Florida will have more energy for these storms and the greater risk for severe weather.”

While the risk isn’t high, there is still the chance North Georgia could see a spin-up tornado or a severe thunderstorm. That’s why nearly all of North Georgia will be under a Level 1 risk for severe weather later Monday, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.

Nitz expects most of the rain and isolated storms to move east by about 6 a.m. Tuesday. A few showers could stick around by the time kids line up at the bus stops, he said.

Some spots could pick up another half-inch of rain or more by the time all is said and done, adding to the 1.3 inches of rain that fell in Atlanta on Saturday.

“Behind this system, we’re going to see the quick return to some sunshine with a dry westerly wind and some cooler weather right around the corner,” Nitz said.

» 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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