Thursday should be a nice day once North Georgia gets past the cold air.
At only a month into springtime, winter isn’t so far removed as to avoid chilly mornings. Most of metro Atlanta is starting another day in the 40s, while those on the Northside are in the 30s and the mountains are in the 20s.
“The good news is later today the weather is going to be beautiful,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “Once we get past the chilly start, it looks great for Thursday and for Friday.”
With temperatures 10 degrees or more below average, frost is possible in places Thursday morning, according to Channel 2. Metro Atlanta typically sees the last frost of spring at the end of April, but the northeast corner of the state could get frosty mornings through the beginning of May.
Monahan said to expect areas of frost through sunrise Thursday.
“A frosty morning this time of year is not out of the ordinary,” he said.
There is plenty of sunshine in the forecast to warm things up. The mountains will see the biggest change with temperatures rising into the mid- to upper 60s, according to Channel 2. The projected high for Atlanta is 69 degrees.
North Georgia should stay dry through Friday, and it will be a little warmer to end the work week, Monahan said. Temperatures are returning to about average with morning lows in the upper 40s and a projected high of 74 degrees in Atlanta.
While there is a 30% chance of rain Saturday, Monahan said it should not get in the way of too many outdoor plans. The afternoon should still be sunny, he said.
“We'll have a few showers around on Saturday, but there will be some sun,” he said. “It’s Sunday into Monday we've got another round of heavy rain coming into North Georgia.”
Showers and clouds will start to spread in Sunday morning, and the rain chances increase to about 80% by the end of the day, according to Channel 2. North Georgia could pick up another 2 inches or more of rainfall before the showers and storms move away Monday.
Monahan said there is now a better chance for severe weather for communities south of Atlanta, although the worst of the storms should stay well to the south.
“All the models I’m looking at now are pushing that storm threat a little closer to North Georgia for the weekend,” he said.
While most Atlanta interstates are delay-free Thursday morning, there are some lingering delays on I-20 West through DeKalb County after an earlier crash with injuries.
The crash temporarily blocked all westbound lanes at Panola Road before authorities began to reopen the interstate, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. It was in the clearing stages at 6 a.m., but trip times are still elongated leaving Rockdale County.
The trip from Turner Hill Road to I-285 was a slow 40 minutes, the Traffic Center reported. Those heading out early can take Covington Highway or Flat Shoals Parkway until the I-20 delays clear.
» 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.
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