Atlanta woke up Wednesday, July 15, to a cloudy, muggy blanket of air, with temperatures hanging around 75°F and a dew point near 72°F. Translation: it already feels like you stepped into a sauna before breakfast. Skies should turn partly sunny later, but that will only help fuel a growing chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., with a high near 87°F and plenty of humidity to go with it.
Afternoon Thunderstorm Risk
The odds of showers and thunderstorms climb after 1 p.m. Wednesday, with scattered storms possible through late afternoon and into the early evening. According to the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, any storm that pops up could bring frequent lightning, gusty winds and brief heavy downpours that may cause ponding on local roads. If you have outdoor plans this afternoon, keep a radar app handy and a quick route to shelter in mind.
What This Means For The Commute
Those short but intense downpours can cut visibility in a hurry and slow traffic during the evening commute, so it is a good idea to leave extra travel time and ease off the gas when the rain hits. Outdoor events and youth sports should have a fast shelter plan ready to go, since lightning will be the main immediate hazard with these storms. Overnight, conditions turn partly cloudy with lows near 72°F.
Heat Builds This Weekend
Temperatures will climb through the rest of the week, with highs near 89°F on Thursday and a return to the low 90s by Friday and into the weekend. Forecasters say heat indices could push into the upper 90s to around 100°F into early next week, turning any prolonged outdoor work or exercise into a grind. If you have to be outside later in the week, try to schedule the heaviest tasks for the morning or evening hours and take frequent breaks.
Where To Cool Off
The City of Atlanta is running a cooling center at Selena S. Butler Park, open on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; residents can call 311 for the latest hours and any additional sites. If you rely on outdoor work for your paycheck, keep the water bottle full, grab shade whenever you can and stay tuned to local alerts for any changes to heat or storm warnings.
Quick tips: carry water, stash an umbrella in the car and head indoors at the first sign of lightning. Updates will be posted if any watches or warnings are issued for metro Atlanta.
