Hottest temps of the year expected to roast Atlanta as July ends

And the humidity will make it feel even more miserable.

The heat index, a measure of how hot it feels outside, likely will hit dangerous levels Sunday and that oppressive feeling will stick around for days.

“Not normal summer heat for Georgia — this is definitely going to be magnitudes higher than we typically expect to see, especially for this time of year,” Lindsay Marlow, a Weather Service meteorologist based in Peachtree City, said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

On Sunday, forecasters predict “dangerous heat and humidity” will make it feel like 104 degrees in Atlanta and up to 107 or 108 in Athens, Columbus and Macon.

By Monday — as many school sports teams hit the practice field — the scorching heat will swell to even higher temps. In Atlanta, the heat index is expected to exceed 106 degrees on Monday and 109 on Tuesday, according to the NWS.

Athens, Columbus, and Macon could feel like it’s over 110.

Credit: National Weather Service

Credit: National Weather Service

The NWS will likely issue a blanket heat advisory for much of Georgia as the weekend arrives, Marlow said. We could also see an extreme heat warning, which used to be called an excessive heat warning. Those warnings are made when very dangerous heat conditions are expected or occurring. If issued, it would be Atlanta’s first in two years.

High humidity levels can make it feel hotter because it’s more difficult for your body to cool down. Sweat evaporates less when the air is saturated. Those spending time outside should be careful to stay hydrated and not overheat, especially vulnerable populations such as babies and kids, elders and those who are pregnant.

High school football conditioning has already been underway, and players are permitted to practice with pads starting Monday. Marlow says coaches should keep an eye on the heat and humidity to ensure it’s safe for players.

“We have some additional concerns as far as sports practices that have come back for middle schools and high schools,” Marlow said. “We’re going to have truly dangerous conditions.”

The Georgia High School Association has rules aimed at keeping athletes safe during the summer, including limits on practice lengths and how many practices can take place.

This summer was expected to be muggier than the typical stuffy Georgia summer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a hotter and wetter season in much of the South.

Temperatures Monday and Tuesday will be 10-13 degrees higher than average, Marlow said.

The best chances to topple Atlanta’s high temperature records come early next week. The record for Monday is 101, set in 1952. Tuesday’s record of 103 was set the same year. Wednesday’s record high is 98, dating to 1980 and 1986, according to the NWS.

The low temps at night also won’t provide much relief, Marlow said, as they only dip into the mid- to high-70s. That will make it even more difficult for air conditioning systems to cool homes, she said.

The bottom line: It’s going to be “really, really hot,” Marlow said. Add in the humidity and prepare to blister as the heat index values “push us over the edge as far as oppressive heat goes,” she added.