Tuesday may be the first day of October, but you can’t tell that from the temperature today.
Atlanta peaked at 96 degrees, breaking the previous record by five degrees, according to Channel 2 Action News. Record-breaking heat is in the forecast through Friday, despite the calendar saying it’s the second week of fall.
“I expect record heat each and every day this week,” Channel 2 chief meteorologist Glenn Burns said. “It’s going to be a very hot week to say the least.”
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Atlanta typically reaches the 90-degree mark 37 days a year, but Monday is the 87th day this year that temperatures reached the 90s, according to Channel 2.
If the forecast holds true, Atlanta will break the record of 90 days in the 90s on Friday, Burns said. That mark was set in 2011.
The roads stand in stark contrast to the heat, since activity has stayed pretty cool all afternoon, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. There are some delays on the Northern Perimeter due to the increase in volume during the evening commute, but I-20 is the only interstate really struggling Monday.
A stalled vehicle is blocking an eastbound lane of the interstate in DeKalb County at Wesley Chapel Road, according to the Traffic Center.
Earlier roadwork in Douglas County has also cleared, but delays on I-20 West remain near Lee Road, the Traffic Center reported.
The hottest October day on record in Atlanta was 95 degrees, and that mark could fall Thursday, according to the latest Channel 2 forecast. The projected high for that day is 97 degrees in Atlanta.
Unfortunately, the heat streak could worsen the state’s drought conditions.
“Because the ground is so dry, that means all the sun’s energy from sunrise to sunset doesn’t have to evaporate standing water on the ground,” Channel 2 meteorologist Brian Monahan said. “It goes right into heating the ground, which eventually heats the air.”
A few sprinkles have begun in the northeast Georgia mountains, Channel 2 reported. There’s no need to bring along an umbrella in metro Atlanta, however, as there is no chance of precipitation.
The humidity in Atlanta isn’t too high, either, with the dew point hovering in the low 60s, Burns said.
“At least it’s not too terribly muggy out there,” he said. “It could be a lot worse.”
Atlanta could see a shift in the hot weather by the weekend, Monahan said.
“This should be the last week of extreme heat,” he said.
Cooler weather is expected to arrive Saturday as high temperatures drop into the low 80s.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page .
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