Most of Georgia is under a heat advisory Saturday, with dangerous heat and humidity expected to last into the evening.
What’s happening: Two heat advisories cover most of the state today. Inland and northern Georgia are under an advisory from noon to 8 p.m., with heat index values — what the air feels like when humidity is factored in — expected to reach up to 105. Coastal Georgia counties face even higher conditions, with heat index values between 105 and 110 and air temperatures in the upper 90s, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What is the Heat Index?: The heat index refers to what the temperature feels like when the air temperature is combined with relative humidity. The thermometer in your car may report 90 degree temperatures, but the humidity means that to your body, it will feel like it is over 100 degrees. The heat index is sometimes called the “apparent temperature.”
The counties covered: The inland advisory covers 49 counties across central, east central, north central, northeast, southeast, and west central Georgia, including Bibb, Baldwin, Houston, Muscogee, Putnam, Laurens, Sumter, and Toombs. The coastal advisory covers Bryan, Chatham, Liberty, McIntosh, and Jasper counties.
What this means for you: At these heat index levels, spending time outside can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Call 911 if someone shows signs of it.
Stay safe: Authorities recommend:
- Drink plenty of fluids and stay in air conditioning
- Stay out of the sun and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing
- Check on relatives and neighbors
- Limit strenuous outdoor activity to early morning or evening
The path forward: Both advisories expire today. The coastal advisory ends at 5 p.m. The inland advisory ends at 8 p.m.
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
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