With the arrival of spring just a day away, North Georgia certainly does not feel like winter Wednesday.
Temperatures are starting mild in the upper 50s and will later make their way into the 70s, according to Channel 2 Action News. An even bigger warmup is in the forecast for Thursday, when the spring equinox officially kicks off the season.
“The forecast for today calls for more sunshine as the day goes on,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “We're going to start kind of cloudy, kind of gray. It’s going to keep temperatures steady through most of the morning.”
All of North Georgia is under a dense fog advisory through 10 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
High humidity is contributing to the foggy conditions Wednesday, Monahan said. Visibility on the roads is not too bad in town, but things start to decline outside the Perimeter, according to Channel 2.
Monahan said the fog will stick around through midmorning. Once the sun comes out, temperatures will climb quickly, he said.
By 10 a.m., he said metro Atlanta is likely to reach the 70s on the way to a projected high of 74 degrees.
It won’t all be sunshine and springlike warmth, however. A 40% chance of rain is in the forecast, too.
“Yes, there will be some showers and storms mixed in along with some of that sunshine,” Monahan said.
A warm front is expect to lift across North Georgia late Wednesday afternoon. Along it, Monahan said he expects to see the opportunity for some showers and a rumble of thunder.
The front should be moving into metro Atlanta by 5 p.m., in time for what should be a light evening drive home.
“Right around I-20 and then up into the North Georgia mountains is where we'll have that best chance for a shower or storm later this afternoon, and seeing a clearing sky on the Southside,” Monahan said. “That clearing sky will work its way north as we head into the overnight hours.”
The fog is expected to return Thursday morning, but Monahan said it will eventually turn warm and sunny with afternoon highs in the low 80s. A wind blowing from the south will help those temperatures to rise, he said.
Thursday should be a dry day, according to Channel 2.
“Friday, we've got showers, we've got storms coming as the afternoon goes on,” Monahan said. “We're going to get some sun, too, Friday. But by the afternoon you’ve got to be ready for some of those storms, and then cooler temperatures in time for the weekend.”
As has been the case every day this week, conditions on the interstates are lighter than normal for the Wednesday morning drive, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.
Schools across Georgia are closed and businesses are encouraging employees to work remotely amid coronavirus concerns. As a result, I-20 is delay-free on both sides of town, there are no delays on Ga. 400 South leaving Cumming, and I-85 is clear from the Mall of Georgia to the Perimeter, the Traffic Center reported.
Traffic reporter Mark Arum said I-285 is also lighter than normal, although some volume is building. There are no major crashes to clog up the Perimeter at 6 a.m., according to the Traffic Center.
» 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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