Local

Steady rain drenches metro area this weekend

ATLANTA — Drivers are urged to drive carefully this weekend as heavy rainfall drenches the metro area,which is under a flood watch until Sunday 8 p.m.

Cobb, Cherokee, Bartow, Forsyth, Paulding, Gwinnett and north Fulton counties are included in the watch, which extends northward into the mountain counties.

Severe Weather Team 2 advises drivers to look out for rising water in the streets and creeks this weekend, when residents will see breaks during periods of widespread rain.

"Widespread, and at times, heavy rain will continue on through Saturday afternoon, evening and overnight into Sunday," said Severe Weather Team 2 meteorologist Brad Nitz.

Metro Atlanta and north Georgia are also under a wind advisory until 10 p.m. Saturday. Gusts of up to 35 mph may bring down some trees with the wet ground, Nitz said.

Police are investigating several accidents that may be associated with the messy conditions.

Drivers on Interstate 20 westbound in Douglasville dealt with delays Saturday afternoon after a tree fell across several lanes between the Lee and Fairburn road exits. Crews removed the tree and reopened all lanes around noon. Authorities tell Channel 2 Action News that there were no reports of injuries.
________________________________________
Click here for alternate routes.
________________________________________
A tractor-trailer flipped on its side on Interstate 285 near Interstate 20 in northwest Atlanta Saturday morning. The wreck shut down two lanes as authorities investigated the accident, which didn't cause any injuries, police said.

Bridge work over Big Creek in Alpharetta has been postponed due to inclement weather. City leaders now plan to close McGinnis Ferry Road between Union Hill Road and McFarland Parkway next weekend to resume construction. People will only have access to businesses inside that corridor, officials said.

Georgia Power said 3,900 outages have been reported in the state, 3,500 in metro Atlanta and 1,000 in East Point.