As a business traveler who's flown hundreds of thousands of miles over the last 5 years, I can say, from my own experiences, that you can expect delays to occur and the airlines won't make it easier.

Call Delta and move your flight up a day.

If you have trip insurance, it won't cost you anything except a hotel room at Hartsfield. If you don't have insurance, the total expense may be well worth what it might cost you in missed flights, potential hotel stays if you can't get out that day, a lost day on the water and limitless aggravation.

Peace of mind is worth more than you think.