Metro Atlanta bracing for record-breaking heat this week

Homeless handling the heat in Atlanta

The brutal heat is especially dangerous for people living on the streets. Homeless shelters are opening their doors to give people some relief from the scorching temperatures.

ATLANTA - With dangerous heat and humidity expected to push heat index values beyond 110 degrees in some areas, metro Atlanta is opening cooling centers to help residents beat the sweltering conditions.

Intense heat in Georgia

What we know:

Forecasters warn that Monday could break heat records across Georgia, with warm and muggy overnight lows offering little relief from the intense daytime heat. Medical professionals are urging people to prioritize rest, shade, and hydration—especially those who must be outdoors for work.

"If you start feeling symptoms like headache, nausea, a rapid heartbeat, or heavy sweating, it’s time to cool down immediately," doctors advise. "And if you stop sweating or your skin turns red, that’s a red flag—you need to call 911 right away."

In extreme heat, certain medications can increase the risk of heat-related illness. Experts say people should be aware of how their prescriptions may affect their body’s ability to regulate temperature.

The heat and the homeless

What they're saying:

As triple-digit heat bears down on Georgia, crisis-intervention group Frontline Response International has opened its Southeast Atlanta facility as a cooling center to protect the city’s unhoused population from life-threatening temperatures.

"The brutal heat is especially dangerous for people living on the streets," the nonprofit said in a statement. "High heat and humidity can be deadly, so we’ve opened our doors to give people some relief."

Volunteer care manager Jabbarri Tucker said the impact of the heat is especially harsh for those with nowhere to go.

"It’s pretty hot. It’s surprisingly hot," Tucker said. "These guys don’t have anywhere to go. What they do is chill in the parks. And they can get heat stroke."

The organization began welcoming unhoused residents on Monday, offering cold water, meals, and a safe place to escape the heat.

"We give them meals, we let them get out of the weather, give them cold water and meet them where they are at the moment," Tucker said.

Tucker added that Frontline also deploys teams to locate individuals in need and help bring them inside.

"They need housing, they need help, they need someone they can trust. That’s why we go out there and we try to bridge that gap," he said.

The cooling center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to Frontline Response International. Volunteers say the need for safe, cool spaces is urgent and growing as extreme weather becomes more common.

Heat wave grips country

A brutal heat wave has built coast-to-coast with triple-digit temperatures expected in more than half the country on Monday. And in the northeast, smoke from Canadian wildfires pushed in over the weekend, creating hazy skies and unhealthy air quality.

Cooling shelters in Georgia

What you can do:

Several counties—including DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton, and Douglas—have opened designated cooling centers for residents in need. The City of Atlanta is also offering locations for people to escape the heat.

Dangerous heat to start the week

With dangerous heat and humidity expected to push heat index values beyond 110 degrees in some areas, Metro Atlanta is opening cooling centers to help residents beat the sweltering conditions. Forecasters warn that Monday could break heat records across Georgia, with warm and muggy overnight lows offering little relief from the intense daytime heat.

Cooling centers will be available in many communities.