Highs will stay in the upper 90s as humidity increases

It’s only going to get hotter in metro Atlanta, with an expected high of 97 on Sunday that will feel even muggier because of the humidity.

Monday will be worse at 98 degrees, and the National Weather Service has put the heart of Atlanta under a level 4 of 4 heat risk. That risk will persist through Wednesday.

Experts stress the importance of hydrating, wearing light, loose clothing and staying out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.

The city of Atlanta and Cobb County are offering cooling centers beginning Sunday.

A ridge of high pressure sat over Georgia most of Saturday, and then it will move slightly southwest on Sunday, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Ashley Kramlich said. That high pressure will impact us for the next several days, leading to continued hot and humid conditions.

Sunday morning will start off with some clouds around. Showers in metro Atlanta are possible before the sun rises, but the chance for storms will remain to the east of the state.

“It just doesn’t look like a whole lot of rain in the upcoming forecast,” according to Kramlich.

Skies will clear as we head into the afternoon, and the high will top off at 97 degrees. Kramlich said it will feel like triple-digit heat due to the high humidity.

Monday will be even warmer with a high of 98 degrees. The overnight hours will also see little relief as lows remain in the mid-70s.

A 20% chance of rain will persist until Tuesday, and then the chance increases to 40% on Wednesday.

ExploreCooling centers open in Atlanta, Cobb with rising temperatures

The heart of Atlanta will be under a Level 4 of 4 heat risk from Monday to Wednesday, which occurs when there is a long duration of extreme heat with little to no overnight relief. That means the heat impacts anyone without effective cooling or adequate hydration, according to the National Weather Service. The agency has issued a Level 3 heat risk for parts of metro Atlanta, central and South Georgia on Sunday.

The NWS HeatRisk is an “experimental color-numeric-based index that provides a forecast risk of heat-related impacts to occur over a 24-hour period,” according to the organization. It considers three factors: how unusual the heat is for the time of the year, the duration of the heat, and if those temperatures pose an elevated risk of heat-related impacts based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.