A brief ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has ended, but the storms have not.
About 3:45 p.m., the airport issued the ground stop amid the heaviest storms on the Southside, but the rain has since moved north, according to Channel 2 Action News.
The rain left its mark though, since pretty much every metro Atlanta interstate is moving slow, and the evening commute is only getting started, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
Ga. 400 is slow in both directions near Alpharetta, where heavy rain doused drivers, the Traffic Center reported.
DeKalb County drivers are enduring delays on I-20 West after a crash blocked a left lane near Wesley Chapel Road, the Traffic Center reported.
Though rain isn’t involved in this delay at all, a car fire is heavily affecting Gwinnett County drivers, the Traffic Center reported. Two right lanes of I-85 North are blocked just before Sugarloaf Parkway.
The chance of rain is 60% Thursday, and it has showed up in full force so far, Channel 2 reported. It’s also kept Georgia cooler than neighboring states to the north.
Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said temperatures for the next few days will be higher the farther north you go. A heat wave is hitting the middle part of the country, the Ohio Valley and the northeast, and temps near 100 degrees are expected Thursday. Monahan said it could feel more like 105 to 110 outside.
“That’s dangerous heat anywhere in the country, but especially across the northern part of the country, where they are just not as used to it as we are here in North Georgia,” he said.
North Georgia won’t get quite as hot, but we’re not getting off that easy. Highs in the low 90s are in the forecast through the weekend, according to Channel 2.
While Atlanta is hovering in the high 70s due to the rain, Eatonton peaked at 95 degrees.
With rain chances on the high side through Saturday, Monahan said temperatures will stay about average for this time of year.
“Saturday is going to be the wetter of the two days” this weekend, he said. “Just about all of us with a pretty good shot of showers and storms after some sunshine for a while in the morning. The better day is going to be Sunday. There’s still going to be rain around, but less of it.”
Monahan said those with plans to hit the lake this weekend will need to be aware of possible heavy rain and lightning.
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page.
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