WEATHER-TRAFFIC UPDATE: Showers mostly move out of metro Atlanta as evening commute wraps up

Isolated downpours came and went Wednesday afternoon, soaking select sections of the Westside during the evening commute.

However, the rain has mostly moved northeast out of metro Atlanta, and traffic is recovering at the tail end of most people’s drive home.

Some slow spots remain, such as I-285 in Cobb County, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Two left lanes of the outer loop are blocked before Paces Ferry Road by a crash.

The Perimeter is moving slowly in the opposite direction as well after an inner-loop crash near Memorial Drive blocked a left lane, leaving heavy delays in DeKalb County, the Traffic Center reported.

Surface streets near WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta remain a mess after a gas leak, according to police. Sections of Church, Cherry and Witcher streets have been blocked for repairs.

MORE: Gas leak contained in Marietta near Kennestone Hospital; nearby streets blocked

Cherokee County drivers are also advised to avoid East Cherokee Drive near Dwight Terry Park, which is blocked after a tree and power lines fell across both lanes, the sheriff’s office said. The road is expected to be blocked for about three hours.

North Georgia started out Wednesday warm and humid with a little haze and fog in spots, but temperatures climbed into the lower 80s.

Pollen levels were in the high range Wednesday, not only for tree pollen but for grass pollen, too. The count is 121 particles per cubic meter of air, and trees like hickory, walnut and pine are still the top contributors.

Weed pollen levels are still in the low range, according to Atlanta Allergy and Asthma, the organization that tracks the daily pollen count.

More of North Georgia could see rain later in the week to help bring those numbers down, Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. A system of storms that brought heavy rain, flooding and tornadoes to the middle part of the country is headed for Georgia, boosting shower chances Friday and into the weekend.

“Now it's not going to come with a severe weather threat, I think, but it will bring rain into North Georgia as we go through the week,” Monahan said.