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.”
The path forward: Conditions are expected to worsen through the weekend. Updated forecasts are available at weather.gov/Atlanta.
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
