Atlanta has had a little break from 90 degrees the past few days, but Wednesday put an end to that streak.
Under a blue sky, the city has warmed to 90 degrees, hitting the expected high for the day, according to Channel 2 Action News. Sunday, which barely hit 80 degrees in the city, seems like a faded memory as summertime temperatures make their return.
Downtown traffic has also been a mess all afternoon, and things haven't improved during the evening commute, the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reported.
I-20 West is recovering after a crash blocked nearly all lanes of the interstate at I-285, according to the Traffic Center. Two left lanes remain blocked, and delays span to the Downtown Connector.
Speaking of the Connector, it’s also slow. Two left southbound lanes are blocked near Courtland Street, jamming the interstate back to Ga. 400, according to the Traffic Center.
But there is some good news. A gas leak that was affecting north Fulton County traffic on Hembree Road has been fixed and the road has reopened, according to Roswell officials.
In Cobb County, work on a broken water main continues along I-75. Interstate North Parkway, which feeds into the interstate, has been shut down at Cumberland Boulevard since about 7 a.m. Wednesday.
RELATED: Gushing water shuts down Cobb County frontage road
While the gushing water has been turned off, the county’s department of transportation said the road will likely remain closed until Friday.
The morning drive saw a few isolated sprinkles, but Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said the afternoon will continue to be mostly dry.
“I think you're going to have lots of dry pavement on the ride home from work ... with lots of sunshine across North Georgia,” he said.
Along with the sunshine, drier air is forecast to move in behind the cold front. Monahan said it will feel more comfortable as the humidity drops.
“Tomorrow it gets even better,” he said. “Lots of dry air for this time of year, and that’s going to mean tons of sunshine and very comfortable weather for your Thursday.”
Rain chances drop out of the forecast Thursday and do not return until Saturday, when showers and storms are 20% likely, according to Channel 2. Early next week, Georgia weather could be influenced by what is now Hurricane Dorian, although Monahan said no major impacts are expected locally.
Just before 2 p.m., the National Hurricane Center upgraded Dorian from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane.
RELATED: Dorian strengthens into a hurricane as it approaches Puerto Rico
The storm is forecast to strengthen in the coming days as it moves toward the United States, according to Channel 2 meteorologists.
An updated model shows it could be a Category 3, which is a major hurricane, when it makes landfall either Sunday night or Monday morning, likely on Florida’s Atlantic coast.
“Labor Day weekend, I know you're thinking about your plans,” Monahan said. “If you are headed to South Carolina’s coast, our coast or Florida’s coast, you need to pay very close attention.”
» 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.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
