WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Showers begin to pop up in metro Atlanta

ATLANTA FORECAST 

Saturday: High: 88

Saturday night: Low: 73

Sunday: High: 89

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

Skies have gotten more and more cloudy, and Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said a few pop-up showers have started to take form.

Afternoon showers and downpours are expected to be brief, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

“There are going to be some scattered showers and downpours, even some with frequent lightning, this afternoon, but a lot of areas are going to have dry skies,” Monahan said.

Georgia has an area of high pressure over the Midwest to thank for the lower rain chances as it pumps dry air into the area.

Saturday’s chance of rain is 40 percent, which sure beats earlier this week. Remember the day it was 100 percent? It’s no contest which is preferable.

Far North Georgia may get a little more rain than metro Atlanta because of all that dry air hitting the mountains, Channel 2 Chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said.

“We get the air flowing in from Tennessee up into the mountains, and that lift from the mountains creates these afternoon showers,” Burns said.

The typical summer weather will make for good construction conditions, and the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to take advantage of it.

Decatur Street will be closed between Piedmont Avenue and Peachtree Center Avenue until 6 a.m. Monday, GDOT said. Contractors are setting bridge beams for the new Courtland Street bridge.

Oxford Road between North Decatur Road and Eagle Row will be closed Saturday to through-traffic from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. to remove a leaning tree, GDOT said.

In Cobb County, two right lanes will be closed on I-285 north and south at the Atlanta Road interchange until 5 a.m. Monday, GDOT said.

None of the construction projects should affect fans heading to the Atlanta United game against the Toronto FC at 4 p.m. today in Mercedes-Benz Station. The stadium's dome will also make sure one of those isolated downpours doesn't soak attendees.

The sky should remain only partly cloudy with a few scattered showers, which will allow for more normal summertime heat to return, Burns said. The predicted high is 88 degrees Saturday, which is almost 10 degrees warmer than earlier this week when the sun never peered through the rain clouds.

The rain chances stay moderately low until the middle of next week when Burns said tropical moisture and storms are expected to return.

» For a closer look at the weekend outlook and things to do in your area:   Atlanta | Cobb | DeKalb | Gwinnett | North Fulton