Georgians spending time outside this week are facing dangerous heat. The “feels like” temperature is forecast to reach the upper 90s to low 100s by Thursday, the National Weather Service says.
What’s happening: A large high-pressure system over the eastern United States is pushing temperatures above normal. Moisture coming in from the Gulf of Mexico is adding humidity, which makes the air feel even hotter than the actual temperature.
The timeline: The worst of it arrives by Thursday, with heat index values in the upper 90s to low 100s. The heat is expected to keep building through Saturday.
What this means for you: If you plan to be outside for any length of time, the National Weather Service says to drink water regularly, wear light clothing and sunscreen, and take frequent breaks in the shade or indoors.
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.” Often people will cite the heat index as the actual temperature. It may not be the actual temperature, but it is actually what the weather feels like.
The path forward: Conditions are expected to worsen through the weekend. Updated forecasts are available at weather.gov/Atlanta.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
