Highs in the upper 90s, low humidity

Little relief from the heat is expected Saturday, with highs reaching the upper 90s and the atmosphere remaining dry.

The lowest temperature in the city will be 74 degrees, occurring between 5 and 7 a.m. It will quickly warm up, reaching 88 degrees by 11 a.m., according to Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Brad Nitz.

Some cloud coverage will develop after noon, but skies will remain primarily partly cloudy. The city is expected to reach a high of 97 degrees. Eatonton, situated about 75 miles southeast of Atlanta in Putnam County, will briefly hit 100 degrees around 4 p.m.

“It’s going to be a hot one,” Nitz stated.

(Post #2 of 2) Warm overnights prevent the human body from cooling down and recovering effectively before the heat of the next day—this is especially true in urban areas and/or for those without air conditioning. ⚠️ #gawx pic.twitter.com/i2bLtKPTbz
— NWS Atlanta (@NWSAtlanta) July 12, 2024

Air quality becomes a concern due to the formation of ground-level ozone during the blistering hours of the day, Nitz explained. A Code Orange air quality alert is in effect Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

“The outdoor air quality is likely to be unhealthy for some people. Children, people who are sensitive to ozone, and people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening when ozone concentrations are highest,” the NWS reported.

Heat will continue to build heading into Sunday, with a high of 98 degrees in the forecast.

Humidity will build back up by Tuesday, creating a clammy atmosphere. Mixed with the intense heat, the chance for scattered storms will return. Some of the heat will subside by Wednesday as rain chances increase.

“(The increasing humidity) means (the) heat index becomes a concern in the afternoon and it also means you’ll have a little more in the way of cloud cover,” Nitz said.