Turns out a break in the 90-degree heat was just not in the cards Saturday.
Atlanta hit 90 degrees on Saturday afternoon, but much of North Georgia is forecast to stay in the mid- to upper 80s, according to Channel 2 Action News. The cooler weather comes at a price.
Scattered showers and storms are 70% likely Saturday, Channel 2 meteorologist Eboni Deon said.
“Once those storms get going, we could be dealing with some heavy downpours, gusty winds and lightning,” she said. “No widespread severe weather though, so that is great news if you do have those plans of getting out and about.”
August has been a hot one for Atlanta, with 20 days in the 90s this month and a total of 60 days this year.
“It is going to be another warm afternoon, but the good news is it’s not going to be as warm as it has been,” Deon said. “It will turn out to be a pretty decent day overall.”
With the heating of the afternoon, Deon said the scattered showers and storms are expected to really get going.
A frontal boundary draped to the north is the big weather-maker this weekend, and it’s not going anywhere. It will trigger the rain and storms Saturday, according to Channel 2.
“As we go through this afternoon, early evening, even later tonight, thunderstorms will be with us,” Deon said. “They will be fairly scattered and then become more concentrated across our western counties by later tonight.”
All of North Georgia will want to keep an umbrella handy, she said.
Once the frontal boundary dips to the south, cooler air will start to make its way into the state. By Sunday, Deon said another weather system will drive in winds from the east and northeast and help drop temperatures.
“I think you are really going to enjoy what we're going to find over the next couple of days,” she said. “Our temperatures are going to be cooling down, and we are going to find those numbers down into the upper 60s to around 70 degrees for morning lows.”
In the afternoons, metro Atlanta should only reach about 80 degrees on Sunday and Monday, according to the latest forecast. Could it be the start of fall?
Not so fast, according to Deon. Temperatures are expected to bounce back by the middle of next week.
Out in the tropics, Deon said things are starting to get a little more active heading into peak Atlantic hurricane season. A system over south Florida now has a 90% chance of developing into a tropical storm, especially when it spins back out into the Atlantic. Conditions for development are a little more favorable there, she said.
Another system is also making its way across the ocean.
“Just something that we’re monitoring,” Deon said. “Neither is affecting our weather as of yet. We are looking pretty good, but our rain chances will be sticking around, so do count on that.”
After dropping to 40% on Sunday, the rain chance jumps back to 60% Monday and Tuesday, according to Channel 2.
Slick roads won't be the only thing likely to affect traffic. Another summer weekend of road construction is in the works for Metro Atlanta, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
Lanes will be blocked at the I-285 and Ga. 400 corridor with the expansion project underway. Northside drivers should expect heavy overnight delays on Ga. 400, where work may block ramps onto the interstate at times, the Traffic Center reported.
Additional Ga. 400 work may restrict lanes in Sandy Springs and Roswell between the North Springs MARTA station and Holcomb Bridge Road, according to the Traffic Center.
On the Southside, overnight roadwork will continue in Henry, Spalding and Butts counties on I-75 in both directions between Ga. 155 and Ga. 36.
Crews also began dismantling a construction crane Thursday in west Midtown, forcing a partial closure of Howell Mill Road between 9th Street and 10th Street. The work is scheduled to wrap up Sunday night.
In Douglas County, repairs are expected to shut down eastbound lanes on I-20 between Ga. 5 and Thornton Road throughout the weekend. While there are currently no delays through the area, drivers should still use caution, the Traffic Center reported.
The three-day Corky Kell Classic, which had its games at Coolray Field canceled Friday night due to rain, continues Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
RELATED: Two Corky Kell Classic games postponed by thunderstorm
Drivers can also expect delays through East Lake on Saturday as the PGA Tour Championship continues at the East Lake Golf Club. Through Sunday, the Traffic Center expects extra congestion along Glenwood Avenue, Memorial Drive and Candler Road during the daytime hours.
And there may be more cars on the roads Saturday night near the Cellaris Amphitheater at Lakewood when the “StreezFest” gets underway at 6 p.m.
» 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.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
About the Author
