Atlanta surpasses 90-degree mark for 50th time this year

Atlanta has broken the 90-degree mark for the 50th day this year, but it feels way hotter than that outside.

The dew point is at 70 degrees, which is incredibly muggy, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon said. As a result, it’s felt like it was near 100 degrees all afternoon in Atlanta.

“It is going to feel like we're in the upper 90s, closer to 100 degrees across many areas,” she said. “And we still have those heat advisories across much of southern Georgia.”

Heat Advisory for Putnam, Upson and Jasper counties 1P-8P today. Stay hydrated and stay cool. Find shade while outdoors and take breaks inside. pic.twitter.com/uDWoq0L4l7
— Eboni Deon, WSB (@EboniDeonWSB) August 11, 2019

Just after lunchtime, Atlanta’s heat index was at 100 degrees, with areas near Griffin hitting 104, according to Channel 2. At 4 p.m., Atlanta has cooled off to 91 degrees with a heat index of 97.

While isolated showers brought parts of North Georgia some welcome relief from the heat on Saturday, Sunday’s chance of rain drops to 20%.

“It's definitely going to be a hot day,” Deon said. “You're going to want to take some breaks, stay inside, stay in the shade if you're going to be outside and stay hydrated."

Any isolated afternoon showers will likely be concentrated to areas south of Atlanta, she said. Rain chances are expected to remain low into next week, causing the dangerously high temperatures to stick around.

Turning wetter and a bit cooler mid to late week. It will be mainly dry and hot through Tuesday. By Wednesday, rain becomes more likely and temps will return to near normal, rising into the upper 80s to near 90°. pic.twitter.com/8PGbMM1uBC
— Eboni Deon, WSB (@EboniDeonWSB) August 11, 2019

“The heat isn’t going anywhere the next couple of days so the AC will need to work overtime,” Deon said.

Temperatures will probably drop slightly by midweek as the chance of rain increases, but they’ll only get down to the low 90s.

As for traffic, Douglas County drivers may want to give themselves extra time to reach their destinations as Georgia Department of Transportation crews conduct roadwork on I-20.

Douglas County: Overnight, Daytime Lane Closures on I-20 This Weekend https://t.co/6qLEdMo01O @wsbTraffic @cbs46traffic @Fox5atlanta @11alivenews @GaDeptofTrans @511Georgia @DvilleImpact @RickMartinMedia @ATLTrafficLady #WorkingForYou #KnowBeforeYouGo
— Georgia DOT ATL (@GDOTATL) August 9, 2019

Downtown drivers could also see some afternoon delays as Atlanta United hosts New York City FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff was set for 3:55 p.m.