Atlanta wakes up Thursday, July 9, to a warm, sticky start: clear skies, around 75°F, a dewpoint near 70°F, and humidity hanging in the low 80s. By afternoon, the heat cranks up again with a high near 93°F and heat index values pushing into the mid to upper 90s. A light west wind will stir things up a bit, and by late day, scattered storms could roll through with brief heavy downpours and gusty winds. Local officials have flagged both the heat and the threat of afternoon and evening thunderstorms.
Heat And Storms Through The Weekend
Forecasts call for about a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. on Thursday, with storm coverage ramping up into the weekend and a 70% chance of storms on Saturday. Any storm that pops up this weekend could turn strong, packing wind gusts in the 40 to 50 mph range and dropping locally heavy rain that may trigger brief flooding in slow-moving cells. High temperatures hold in the low 90s on Thursday and Friday, then ease back into the 80s by Monday, while nights stay muggy in the low to mid 70s. This outlook comes from the National Weather Service Peachtree City.
City Cooling Centers And Hydration Stations
To help residents ride out the heat, the City of Atlanta has opened a cooling center at Selena S. Butler Park (98 William Holmes Borders Senior Dr NE), operating on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hydration stations are also set up at fire stations across the city, and free splash pads and select pools are open daily as no-cost ways to cool down. Full details and a map of locations are available in the city advisory: City of Atlanta.
Tips For Today
Plan strenuous outdoor activities for the cooler morning hours, stay hydrated with plenty of water, and check in on elderly neighbors and people with medical conditions. If you are outside, keep an eye on the sky for lightning and sudden heavy rain, and head indoors if storms move in, avoiding trees during gusty winds. Drivers should slow down in any downpours and leave extra space on the roads for vehicles that might hydroplane in the heavy rain.
