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Friday morning weather forecast
Metro Atlanta could endure several hours on Friday of heat index readings at or above 100 degrees as temperatures and humidity climb.
ATLANTA - The hottest stretch of the summer so far is bearing down on Georgia, with temperatures climbing into the 90s and oppressive humidity pushing the heat index into dangerous territory.
Metro Atlanta is already struggling to cool down overnight. Atlanta started Friday morning around 78 degrees, while a 72-degree dew point made conditions especially muggy.
Athens recently dropped to only 75 degrees for an overnight low, tying its record for the warmest low temperature.
The heat is expected to intensify through the weekend and into the beginning of next week.
☀️ Atlanta forecast: Heat builds
🌡️ Friday: Temperatures climb into the low 90s by early afternoon. The heat index could reach 100 degrees or higher for several hours.
🥵 Saturday: Even hotter conditions arrive as the heat wave strengthens. High humidity will make temperatures feel significantly hotter.
🔥 Sunday: Dangerous heat continues, with some of the hottest conditions of the stretch expected across metro Atlanta and North Georgia.
♨️ Monday: The heat wave carries into the start of the workweek, with temperatures and heat index values remaining unusually high.
⛈️ Daily storm chances: There is roughly a 20% to 30% chance of afternoon thunderstorms Friday, with additional storm chances during the heat wave. Any storms that develop could produce heavy rain and strong downburst winds.
What's causing the heat?
What we know:
A massive dome of high pressure that has produced excessive heat across the central and southern Plains is expanding eastward.
High pressure typically promotes hotter conditions, but plenty of moisture remains in the atmosphere over Georgia. That combination means high humidity will accompany the rising temperatures.
The humidity is particularly important because it increases the heat index — a measure of how hot conditions feel to the human body when humidity is factored into the actual air temperature.
Heat index could top 100 degrees
What to expect:
Temperatures alone are expected to reach the low 90s early Friday afternoon, but the combination of heat and humidity could make it feel like 100 degrees or hotter for several hours in metro Atlanta.
And Friday isn't expected to be the peak of the heat.
The FOX 5 Atlanta Storm Team says the hottest temperatures are expected over the weekend and into early next week.
Heat advisories are in effect for parts of the region as the prolonged heat raises concerns for people spending extended periods outdoors, particularly during the hottest part of the afternoon.
What about thunderstorms?
What could happen:
The high-pressure system won't completely eliminate Georgia's typical summertime thunderstorms.
Scattered storms remain possible each afternoon. A thunderstorm could provide temporary relief from the heat, but storms could also produce heavy rain and strong downburst winds.
Despite the daily storm chances, the prolonged and potentially dangerous heat will remain the primary weather concern heading into the weekend.