We’re staying hot and dry under clear skies in metro Atlanta this weekend, which should give us a good view of the Perseid meteor shower.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks in mid-August and is one of the best meteor showers of the year, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
“The good news is we’re going to have a fairly clear sky view it; best place is going to be in those areas with a dark night sky,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “So the farther you get away from city lights, the better chance of seeing that meteor shower.”
The meteors associated with Perseids frequently leave long “wakes” of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere, according to NASA. It is one of the most plentiful showers with the potential to see up to 90 meteors per hour.
The showers happen when the earth passes through the debris trail left by comets as they travel around the sun, NASA explains. The comet from which the Perseids originate is 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the debris enters the earth’s atmosphere, it disintegrates and creates a fiery and colorful streak in the sky.
The shower will be active until Sept. 1, according to NASA, but this year’s peak is forecast for Aug. 13. We should still be able to get a good view of it over the weekend, though, especially with good weather.
The best time to catch a glimpse of some “shooting stars” will be in the pre-dawn hours, but sometimes it’s possible to see them as early as 10 p.m. While skies are expected to be clear this weekend, areas with less light pollution will have the best view.
Overnight temperatures are expected to dip into the low 70s through the weekend, with some locations north of the city potentially seeing temps in the 60s. So if you plan to watch the Perseids, a light sweater could be a good idea for those who get chilly easily.
Daytime highs will be in the low to mid 90s. But with lower humidity, the heat won’t feel as oppressive as it was last month during the long stretches of 90-degree days.
Rain chances are very low. There is just a 10% chance of seeing a stray afternoon shower.
» For a detailed forecast, visit www.ajc.com/weather.
» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @WSBTraffic on X.
» Download The Atlanta Journal-Constitution app for weather alerts on-the-go.
About the Author
