As temperatures in metro Atlanta reach the upper 90s and heat indexes climb even higher, officials are warning the public of heat-related deaths and injuries.
The heat wave that is bringing warmer-than-normal air into the midwest and south is caused by a dome of high pressure that has trapped hot air and has been driving heat indexes up from Missouri all the way to Florida.
A heat advisory is in effect until Sunday evening for nearly all of Georgia’s counties due to heat index values projected to reach up to 107 degrees. According to the National Weather Service, high temperatures and humidity have the potential to cause heat-related issues.
The agency reminds residents to keep hydrated, remain in cool and shaded areas, and never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles.
More than a dozen people have died due to heat-related issues, the Associated Press reported. Eleven people, ranging in age from 60 to 80, died in Webb County in Texas, and two Floridians died while hiking at the Big Bend National Park, according to AP.
If you start to develop a throbbing headache, confusion, dizziness, a rapid pulse, body temperatures above 103, and potentially loss of consciousness, call 911. A heat stroke is a severe medical emergency and can also occur in animals.
Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, clammy skin, a weak pulse, nausea, dizziness, headache and even fainting.
“We are going to be dealing with the chance for some dangerous heat as well as the possibility for strong and severe storms,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Eboni Deon said.
While temperatures continue to rise, severe weather is also incoming. Isolated severe storms with damaging wind gusts are expected throughout the weekend. There is a Level 2 threat for damaging winds and hail across North Georgia and a Level 1 threat in metro Atlanta until Sunday morning.
Leaders of the city of Stockbridge in Henry County said they have been using social media to advise residents on how to keep cool as the temperatures rise. The city has partnered with the American Red Cross to encourage residents to stay hydrated, limit exposure to the sun at the hottest time of day, and check on elderly loved ones.
Stockbridge, like most metro Atlanta communities, has outdoor Fourth of July activities planned, including a free concert at the Stockbridge Amphitheater on Tuesday featuring singers Tamar and Case and an Earth, Wind & Fire cover band.
“We’re encouraging concertgoers to adhere to weather advisories and stay safe and hydrate,” Stockbridge spokeswoman Shana Thornton said.
Atlanta Track Club spokesman Jay Holder said organizers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race echo Thornton’s directive to stay hydrated. Safety is always paramount during the annual race, which brings thousands of people from all over the nation to compete.
The road race features water stops at nearly every mile of the 10K and offers an emergency alert system that notifies participants to conditions, such as green for safe, yellow for caution in cases of storms or extreme heat, and red for extreme caution. Level black calls off the race when heat or storms become dangerous.
“We always tell people, first and foremost, that the Peachtree is generally not a race to come out and run your fastest time,” he said. “The conditions are just not conducive. Set your expectations accordingly.”
To help residents combat the heat, several counties are opening cooling centers.
A center located at the Martin Luther King Jr. Rec Center at 90 Boulevard in Atlanta will remain open until Monday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
DeKalb County is turning recreation centers and libraries into cooling centers throughout the weekend, and those businesses will be open during normal business hours. There will also be free access to pools from 2 to 4 p.m. until Sunday at recreation centers.
In College Park, a cooling station in the Public Safety Building located at 3717 College Street will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Sunday.
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