UPDATE [7:08 p.m.]: The dog days of summer continued in Atlanta, when temperatures reached 98 degrees Wednesday, tying a record set in 1964.
“Wind gusts over 25 mph this afternoon kind of feels like a hair dryer,” Channel 2 Action New meteorologist Brad Nitz tweeted.
A heat advisory is in effect until 9 p.m., the National Weather Service said. An excessive heat watch could be upgraded to a heat warning Thursday, according to NWS.
ORIGINAL STORY: If you’re sick of the intense Atlanta heat, you’ll find no comfort in Wednesday’s weather forecast.
Temperatures near 100 degrees, dry conditions and poor air quality are on tap this afternoon, according to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan. For many across North Georgia, it will be the hottest day of the year so far.
“Our forecast high is 99 degrees,” Monahan said. “That would set a new record high in Atlanta.”
The last time it was this hot on June 22 was 1964, when the city recorded a high of 98 degrees. Should Atlanta break 100 degrees, it would be the hottest day since August 2019.
Athens is likely to reach triple digits Wednesday with a projected high of 101, according to Monahan.
“You need the sunglasses and sunscreen if you are going to be outside,” he said. “You can get burned pretty quickly this time of year, as the sun is at its highest point in the sky all year long. Please be good to yourself, keep an eye on and look for the signs that your body is not dealing with the heat.”
The National Weather Service has issued a Code Orange air quality alert for a second day in metro Atlanta. Under Code Orange conditions, the air quality is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups like children or people with heart or lung disease.
The Weather Service is advising those groups to limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening, when ozone concentrations are highest.
Wednesday should be the Atlanta’s 13th day in the 90s so far this year. In a typical year, the city records 47 90-degree days, Monahan said.
The 90-degree stretch will take Atlanta through the weekend, although by Saturday Monahan is calling for slightly cooler conditions. A projected high of 93 degrees is still hot, but it’s less hot, he said.
Rain chances will also increase by the weekend, according to the latest forecast.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
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