North Georgia just has to make it through one more day of intense heat before the humidity drops and conditions improve for the weekend.
A heat advisory will again take effect at 11 a.m. Friday as heat index values climb into the triple digits. According to Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Jennifer Lopez, Atlanta is headed for a high of 97 degrees, but it will feel more like 101 outside.
It would have to get pretty hot to break any heat records, as the record high for this date is 102 degrees and was set in 1936. Still, Lopez said North Georgia is looking at another scorcher.
It will be more tolerable this weekend, she said, but those hoping for a big swing in temperatures should adjust their expectations.
“The temperatures are still going to be above average,” Lopez said. “The least miserable day, so to speak, may be Sunday, with an actual high of 90 and morning temperatures in the upper 60s. And, yes, that humidity is going to be a little bit lower over the weekend.”
The drop in humidity is coming on the other side of a cold front. A disturbance out ahead of the front could be responsible for some strong thunderstorms this afternoon, according to Lopez.
Around 1 p.m., when temperatures hit their peaks, Lopez expects to see storms start to develop. They should be isolated, but she said any could be strong with a risk of damaging winds and hail.
Silver dollar-sized hail was reported in Sandy Springs and parts of Cobb County during Thursday night’s storms. Tree limbs and power lines were brought down all across metro Atlanta, and thousands lost power late Thursday, according to Channel 2. Lights were back on for all but about 900 Georgia Power customers as of 6:30 a.m. Friday.
Friday’s storm offering could move into the Atlanta area around 3 p.m., sticking primarily to neighborhoods south and east of I-20 before pushing into Middle Georgia in the early evening, according to the latest forecast.
“This is a short wave,” Lopez said. “It’s a piece of energy that is going to be moving through and bringing us those thunderstorms. And then that’s going to be it for the storms for a while.”
After Friday evening, the storm chance drops out of the forecast for the weekend and much of next week, she said. Both Saturday and Sunday should be sunny with highs in the low 90s, but Lopez expects the reprieve will be short-lived.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
By Tuesday, Atlanta is looking at another high of 97 degrees. Even higher numbers could be coming in the weeks ahead. According to Channel 2, forecast model data shows temperatures in the upper 90s and low 100s through the rest of the month.
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