Georgians should expect a familiar late-summer pattern this weekend and into next week: mostly sunny skies, highs in the upper 80s to low 90s, and afternoon thunderstorms that could pop up any day.
What’s happening: The Atlanta area will see highs near 91 today, with a small chance of afternoon storms after 3 p.m. Heat index values could feel as high as 98 degrees. Tonight, a 30% chance of storms lingers before 9 p.m., then skies clear somewhat overnight with a low around 72.
The heat: South Georgia is dealing with the most intense conditions. The Jacksonville-area forecast shows heat index values as high as 106 degrees Sunday, with a 70% chance of storms today and rainfall totals between a quarter and half an inch possible. Coastal areas near the South Carolina border saw the heaviest rain today, with 1 to 2 inches possible in the Charleston forecast zone, which covers parts of the Georgia-South Carolina coast.
Day by day for Atlanta: Sunday brings a 30% storm chance between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., high near 91. Monday through Wednesday, storm chances hold at 30% to 40% each afternoon, with highs near 90. Tuesday and Wednesday see the highest storm chances of the week at 40%. Thursday and Friday stay in the low 90s with 30% storm chances continuing.
Northwest Georgia: The Birmingham forecast zone, which covers parts of northwest Georgia, shows a 50% storm chance Sunday through Monday, dropping to 40% Tuesday and Wednesday before easing to 20% by Friday. Highs stay near 91 through the week.
Northeast Georgia: The Greenville-Spartanburg forecast zone, covering the northeast corner of the state, is drier than the rest of Georgia. Tuesday and Wednesday look completely clear there, with highs near 93. Storm chances return Thursday and Friday but stay slight, around 20%.
What this means for you: If you have outdoor plans this weekend, the best window each day is the morning. Storms are most likely in the mid-to-late afternoon hours across most of the state. Stay aware of heat index values, which will push close to or above 100 degrees in parts of central and south Georgia through the weekend.
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
