Atlanta starts Friday with clear skies and temperatures around 77 degrees, but the calm morning will give way to another hot and stormy afternoon. Highs are expected to reach 92, with the heat index climbing to about 99 as showers and thunderstorms become more likely later in the day.
Storms Build As Friday Heat Peaks
A slight chance of showers lingers before 7 a.m., followed by mostly sunny skies through late morning. Rain and thunder chances increase after noon, with the best odds arriving during the afternoon and early evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters say scattered to numerous thunderstorms could bring damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall across parts of the region. Atlanta currently has no weather watches, warnings or advisories in effect, but anyone with outdoor plans should have a quick indoor backup ready.
Friday Night Brings A Cooler Reset
Storm chances continue into Friday evening before tapering off around 10 p.m. Skies will turn partly cloudy overnight, with temperatures falling to around 72 degrees and light west winds.
Sunny Weekend Follows The Storms
Saturday and Sunday look considerably quieter, with sunny skies and highs near 92 both days. Northwest winds will run 5 to 10 mph Saturday, with gusts up to 20 mph, while overnight lows settle near 72 Saturday and 69 Sunday.
Drier air filtering in behind a frontal boundary should make the weekend feel less humid, even though afternoon temperatures remain firmly in the low 90s. Monday stays mostly sunny with a high near 91, though a slight chance of showers returns Monday night.
Rain Chances Return Midweek
Tuesday brings a high near 90 with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Chances rise to about 50% Wednesday and Thursday, while highs ease slightly to around 90 and 89 degrees.
For Friday, drink plenty of water, take breaks from the heat and bring pets indoors during thunder. Lightning can arrive before the heaviest rain, so outdoor activities should move inside as soon as thunder is heard.
