WEDNESDAY’S WEATHER-TRAFFIC: Afternoon storms to keep temps down

Added cloud cover and afternoon storms will have the benefit of tamping down the summer heat Wednesday.

Temperatures should be in the upper 80s this time of year, but metro Atlanta is only expected to reach a high of 85 degrees, according to Channel 2 Action News.

The lower temperatures come with a 70% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Channel 2 meteorologist Eboni Deon said it will still be very humid.

“You know the drill,” she said. “It’s summertime, it’s the first day of July and it will feel like it over the next couple of days. Although, today it will be a little bit cooler than it has been.”

A few showers are moving into northwest Georgia from Alabama on Wednesday morning, but they are falling apart quickly, Deon said. Most should stay dry through the morning as rain activity is not expected to ramp up until around 1 p.m.

“After the lunch hour, that’s when things are really going to get going,” Deon said. “We’ll be watching out for some heavy downpours, strong, gusty winds and some lightning. Any outdoor plans for this afternoon, even through this evening, have that indoor backup just in case.”

Some of the storms have the potential to turn severe, although Deon said widespread severe weather is not in the forecast.

Overnight, temperatures are expected to fall back into the 60s and low 70s. North Georgia will warm up again on Thursday with highs returning to the mid- to upper 80s, according to Channel 2.

Deon said areas from Athens to Eatonton are likely to reach 90 degrees Thursday, which has a 40% chance of rain.

“As we get to the end off the weekend, rain chances will be going down,” she said. “It looks like in time for the Fourth of July, only isolated rain chances for Saturday.”

Traffic is moving fine throughout metro Atlanta on Wednesday morning, but drivers headed west could hit a snag, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

A crash was blocking all westbound lanes of I-20 in Carroll County just before 6 a.m., the Traffic Center reported. Delays start at the crash site at Ga. 113.

The Traffic Center suggests those headed into Temple use U.S. 78 as an alternate.

» 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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