The National Weather Service office in Peachtree City issued a Heat Advisory covering most of metro Atlanta and eastern Georgia from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with afternoon heat index values forecast between 105 and 108 degrees.
The advisory comes after a Monday that already pushed heat index readings to 100-plus across north Georgia. Tuesday’s advisory covers Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Henry, Fayette, Rockdale, Douglas, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, and Paulding counties, along with most of east-central Georgia east of I-20.
What the numbers look like
Overnight lows in the mid-70s in the urban core provided little relief, and forecasters expect highs in the mid-90s Tuesday afternoon. When humidity is factored in, the heat index is expected to top out between 105 and 108 in the advised area, with the worst conditions along the I-85 and I-75 corridors south of the city and through the western suburbs.
The North Georgia Weather Authority flagged the possibility of an Excessive Heat Warning upgrade if observed heat indices exceed 110 degrees, which would extend the advisory into the evening.
Air quality and haze
The combination of smoke from regional wildfires and ground-level ozone production is also expected to push Air Quality Alerts for metro Atlanta into the Code Orange range for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and anyone with respiratory conditions. Outdoor activity should be limited to early morning or after 8 p.m. for sensitive groups.
Cooling centers and city response
The city of Atlanta opened eight cooling centers Monday afternoon in a pattern that will continue Tuesday through Friday, staffed by Atlanta Fire Rescue personnel and Fulton County public-health staff. Locations include the Old Adamsville Recreation Center, the C.T. Martin Recreation Center, the Brownwood Recreation Center, and the Atlanta Civic Center. Pets on leashes are accepted at all sites.
MARTA has flagged the advisory in its rider-alert system. Bus and rail air-conditioning systems on the CQ400 railcars and the newer MCI and New Flyer buses are operating at full capacity.
What to expect the rest of the week
The heat is expected to peak Wednesday before a cold front approaches Thursday, with scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms likely to break the heat. Some storms Thursday could be strong, with the Storm Prediction Center placing north Georgia in a Marginal Risk for severe weather.
Until the front clears, drinking water before outdoor activity, wearing light-colored loose clothing, and never leaving children or pets in parked cars are the standing recommendations from NWS and the Georgia Department of Public Health.
For the latest forecast, the NWS Atlanta office publishes hourly updates at weather.gov/ffc.
