WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Roads begin to congest during dry evening commute

ATLANTA FORECAST

Tuesday: High: 90

Tuesday night: Low: 70

Wednesday: High: 91

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

Construction crews were taking advantage of the dry afternoon, and while roads have been mostly clear all day, traffic is beginning to build during the evening commute.

Heavier traffic is mostly concentrated on the Northern Perimeter and Downtown Connector, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

A crash in the left lane on I-285 at South Atlanta Road in Cobb County is causing delays, according to the Traffic Center.

Cobb Co: I-285/sb (outer loop) at S Atlanta Rd (exit 16); crash in left lane; delays https://t.co/2hvjWkI3bV #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/UAhbyvZChw
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) August 14, 2018

A wreck involving a box truck on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard northbound at the I-285 ramp in DeKalb County is blocking the center lane, which is also causing delays, the Traffic Center reported.

DeKalb Co: Peachtree Industrial/nb at the 285 ramps; crash has a box truck blocking the center lane; delays https://t.co/2hvjWkI3bV #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/NcPKRpVsj0
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) August 14, 2018

A weather front sitting south of metro Atlanta is taking humidity out of the mix, so while it’s hot, it shouldn’t be rainy, according to Channel 2 Action News.

“We've got west winds; that is going to help heat us up,” Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said. “But we don’t have enough moisture to work with right now, so no daily showers and thunderstorms to deal with.”

Much of North Georgia should stay dry Tuesday and Wednesday before the front moves out and humidity ramps up again Thursday. Rain chances remain at less than 10 percent Tuesday and only 20 percent Wednesday.

RAIN LATER THIS WEEK: Good morning! It stays hot and dry today across north Georgia but rain chances are coming back up as we move into the end of the week and into the weekend.

I'm updating the forecast at noon on Channel 2! @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/H9g5017pZF
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) August 14, 2018

“It will return,” Minton said. “We'll see it in a couple of days. But in the meantime, enjoy the dry weather through tonight and again for (Wednesday).”

Temperatures are in the upper-80s in metro Atlanta. They are expected to top out at 90 degrees, according to Channel 2.

Dry air is here again today! See that green/white to the west? That's more moisture for storms and it's moving our way.

I'll show you how soon the rain moves back in -- ahead at noon on Channel 2. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/gGkKdDmJsW
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) August 14, 2018

Don’t be fooled by the smoky skies. Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said smoke from wildfires on the West Coast wafted to parts of the Southeast, creating a hazy atmosphere. That same haze should linger through Tuesday.

Good morning! Haze and smoke high up in the sky again today... but otherwise another quiet day across north Georgia! I'm tracking increasing rain chances later this week... at noon on @wsbtv
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) August 14, 2018

The haze should lift once the rain returns at the end of the week. The weekend is expected to be wet with a 60 percent chance of storms and a projected high of 88.

“The rain amounts as we go into Thursday (and) Friday (are) really not much, maybe half an inch at best,” Minton said. “Showers and storms may get in the way for your weekend events, so plan around it.”

Photo: Channel 2 Action News

» 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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