Construction, wrecks keep I-85 slow in Gwinnett, I-20 slow in Fulton

ATLANTA FORECAST

Thursday: High: 54

Thursday night: Low: 45

Friday: High: 54

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

Several slow spots have developed this afternoon across Fulton and Gwinnett counties, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

Roadwork on I-20 East near Fulton Industrial Boulevard had two right lanes blocked, but the lanes have since reopened. However, heavy delays linger, the Traffic Center reported.

Also in Fulton, a crash on I-85 just before 17th Street has been moved to the shoulder, but 15-minute delays remain from Ga. 400, the Traffic Center reported.

In Gwinnett, road work in the right lane of I-85 North near Beaver Ruin Road is causing “gross” delays back to the Perimeter, according to the Traffic Center.

There are more construction-related delays on a few major secondary streets, including northbound Peachtree Road and northbound Piedmont Road in Buckhead. Farther north, a vehicle fire in Cherokee County has blocked all westbound lanes of Towne Lake Parkway, according to the sheriff’s office.

At least the weather is cooperating.

But Friday’s drive will likely be a different story.

“You may want to have lunch at your desk tomorrow, because heading out to get those snacks ... it could be a little rough on the roads,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton said.

Widespread rain is headed for North Georgia to complicate travel.

“Wet commute in the morning, wet at lunchtime and a wet evening commute, too, for your Friday,” she said. “It’s going to be loads of fun.”

The rain is moving toward the state from the west. It shouldn’t make its appearance in Georgia until after midnight Thursday, Minton said.

Ahead of the system, there is a low 20 percent chance North Georgia could see a shower or two Thursday. Most of the day should be partly cloudy, with temperatures headed for the mid-50s in the afternoon, according to Channel 2.

Temperatures have climbed into the low 50s in metro Atlanta.

“Winds start picking up out of the east this evening, setting the stage for some rain,” Minton said. “Some of it is going to be on the heavy side over South Georgia with the possibility of some strong, maybe some severe, storms there.”

That should not be the case in the Atlanta area, she said. Here it will just be another wet start to the weekend, the third one in a row for metro Atlanta.

Lawrenceville is the latest city to cancel its holiday festivities because of wet weather. The Hometown Christmas Parade scheduled for Friday has been canceled because of heavy rain in the forecast, and it will not be rescheduled this year, according to city officials.

“It seems like every weekend it’s raining, and it is going to do that, but not the entire weekend this time around,” Minton said.

While there is a 90 percent chance of rain and storms Friday, Saturday’s chance has dropped to 40 percent.

“Saturday we start out with some showers, but they gradually taper off on Saturday night so that Sunday is partly cloudy, and it’s sunny on Monday,” Minton said.