WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Heavy delays in Cherokee County under sunny skies

While a clear, blue sky hangs over a cooler-than-typical metro Atlanta on Tuesday, traffic in Cherokee and Cobb counties has increased throughout the evening commute.

Only a left lane of I-575 South at Ga. 92 has reopened after a tractor-trailer fire, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Delays have grown back to Sixes Road.

In the same county, another tractor-trailer pulled down power lines at the intersection of Reinhardt College Parkway and Ga. 108 in Waleska, causing the road to be shut down. The sheriff’s office said the utility company estimates it will take eight hours to make the repairs.

Not all traffic problems are in Cherokee, though, with a wreck blocking two left lanes of I-75 North before Jonesboro Road in Clayton County, according to the Traffic Center.

Closer to the heart of Atlanta, two left lanes of the I-85 North ramp to the Downtown Connector are blocked by a car fire, the Traffic Center reported.

Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said North Georgia won’t have a chance to get used to the cooler temperatures.

Temps started out in the 40s in many spots across the state, including in the Atlanta suburbs. Atlanta dropped to 51 degrees overnight, making it the coolest morning since late April. At 6:15 p.m., it’s 71 degrees in the city.

“We've got a little dip in the jet stream bringing that cooler air for us,” Monahan said. “It doesn’t last long, though, in the middle part of the month of May.”

By Wednesday, warmer air is building to the west and strong high pressure is building right above the state. The combination will cause air to sink and dry out, and temperatures to rise by the end of the week, Monahan said.

“It’s going to feel more like mid-summertime in metro Atlanta as we climb into the upper 80s,” he said. “I don’t think we'll hit 90 degrees this weekend, but next week we've got a good shot at it. With average highs in the low 80s, we will be well above.”

The drier conditions mean pollen levels are creeping back up. Grass pollen is in the high range Tuesday, while tree pollen is moderate, according to Atlanta Allergy and Asthma, the organization that tracks the daily pollen count. The count for Tuesday was 53.

A weather system moving in Wednesday is expected to fill the sky up with clouds, but Monahan said he does not anticipate much rain to come from it. There is a 20 to 30 percent chance of some showers late in the day Wednesday, but he said most will stay dry.

“There will be a few showers around for the weekend,” he said. “Not much on Sunday. The rain chance (is) just 20 percent. But the heat, it is back.”

Afternoon highs are forecast in the upper 80s on Saturday and Sunday, according to Channel 2.

» 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. 

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