The National Weather Service forecasts partly sunny skies here in Cobb County on Thursday, July 18, 2024, with a high near 91 degrees.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Cobb County and other parts of the region due to scattered thunderstorms that are possible this afternoon, coming to and end after sundown. The main threat will be gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall. Hot and humid conditions with heat index values around 100 degrees are possible mainly south of a line from Columbus to Athens.
What you will read in this article
- The extended forecast for Cobb County
- Last month’s climate summary for the metro Atlanta region
- The climate almanac for metro Atlanta
- What the National Weather Service is, and what it does
What does the extended forecast have in store?
This forecast is centered on Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.
Today
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 98. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms likely before 3 a.m, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. High near 84. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 a.m. Low around 69. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Saturday
Showers and thunderstorms. High near 85. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Saturday Night
Showers and thunderstorms. Low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Sunday
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. High near 85. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Sunday Night
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 a.m. Low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Monday
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. High near 85. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Monday Night
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2 a.m. Low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Tuesday
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
Tuesday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
Wednesday
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
What was the climate like in the latest reporting period?
The NWS climate summary for metro Atlanta has now been updated with June 2024 figures.
In an article entitled What is the Difference between Climate and Weather?, the National Ocean Service describes the difference as follows:
“Weather is what you see outside on any particular day. So, for example, it may be 75° degrees and sunny or it could be 20° degrees with heavy snow. That’s the weather.
“Climate is the average of that weather. For example, you can expect snow in the Northeast in January or for it to be hot and humid in the Southeast in July. This is climate. The climate record also includes extreme values such as record high temperatures or record amounts of rainfall. If you’ve ever heard your local weather person say “today we hit a record high for this day,” she is talking about climate records.
“So when we are talking about climate change, we are talking about changes in long-term averages of daily weather. In most places, weather can change from minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate, however, is the average of weather over time and space.”
The climate report for the Atlanta area for the previous month shows how much departure from the average temperatures that month represents. The average temperature for a date is the average over a 30-year period.
| Date | Max | Min | Average | Departure from norm | Precipitation |
| 2024-06-01 | 78 | 65 | 71.5 | -3.6 | 0 |
| 2024-06-02 | 85 | 67 | 76 | 0.6 | 0.06 |
| 2024-06-03 | 89 | 69 | 79 | 3.4 | T |
| 2024-06-04 | 86 | 70 | 78 | 2.2 | T |
| 2024-06-05 | 86 | 72 | 79 | 3 | 0.17 |
| 2024-06-06 | 85 | 70 | 77.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 |
| 2024-06-07 | 88 | 70 | 79 | 2.6 | 0 |
| 2024-06-08 | 87 | 63 | 75 | -1.6 | 0 |
| 2024-06-09 | 93 | 70 | 81.5 | 4.7 | 0 |
| 2024-06-10 | 85 | 69 | 77 | 0 | 0.4 |
| 2024-06-11 | 87 | 64 | 75.5 | -1.7 | 0 |
| 2024-06-12 | 89 | 71 | 80 | 2.6 | 0 |
| 2024-06-13 | 90 | 72 | 81 | 3.4 | 0 |
| 2024-06-14 | 95 | 72 | 83.5 | 5.8 | 0 |
| 2024-06-15 | 97 | 76 | 86.5 | 8.6 | 0.02 |
| 2024-06-16 | 96 | 75 | 85.5 | 7.4 | 0 |
| 2024-06-17 | 93 | 75 | 84 | 5.7 | T |
| 2024-06-18 | 91 | 73 | 82 | 3.6 | 0 |
| 2024-06-19 | 89 | 71 | 80 | 1.4 | 0 |
| 2024-06-20 | 90 | 73 | 81.5 | 2.8 | 0 |
| 2024-06-21 | 93 | 71 | 82 | 3.1 | 0 |
| 2024-06-22 | 98 | 74 | 86 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024-06-23 | 98 | 77 | 87.5 | 8.3 | 0 |
| 2024-06-24 | 97 | 75 | 86 | 6.7 | 0.21 |
| 2024-06-25 | 98 | 72 | 85 | 5.6 | 0 |
| 2024-06-26 | 100 | 75 | 87.5 | 7.9 | 0 |
| 2024-06-27 | 91 | 75 | 83 | 3.3 | T |
| 2024-06-28 | 91 | 75 | 83 | 3.2 | 0.13 |
| 2024-06-29 | 91 | 76 | 83.5 | 3.6 | 0.65 |
| 2024-06-30 | 97 | 77 | 87 | 7 | 0 |
Climate Almanac for metro Atlanta
This almanac provides information on past climate conditions for today’s date, July 18, allowing a comparison to current weather.
Simply put, it helps you see what the weather would typically be like on this day, according to historical data.
| Daily Data | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Max Temperature | M | 90 | 100 in 1993 | 70 in 1896 |
| Min Temperature | M | 72 | 77 in 2020 | 62 in 1967 |
| Avg Temperature | M | 81.2 | 88.0 in 1993 | 68.0 in 1896 |
| Precipitation | M | 0.16 | 1.82 in 1934 | 0.00 in 2020 |
| Snowfall | M | 0.0 | 0.0 in 2023 | 0.0 in 2023 |
| Snow Depth | M | – | 0 in 2023 | 0 in 2023 |
| HDD (base 65) | M | 0 | 0 in 2023 | 0 in 2023 |
| CDD (base 65) | M | 16 | 23 in 1995 | 3 in 1896 |
| Month-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 93.1 | 89.9 | 97.8 in 1980 | 80.1 in 1892 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 75.2 | 71.6 | 76.0 in 1980 | 64.1 in 1967 |
| Avg Temperature | 84.1 | 80.7 | 86.9 in 1980 | 72.4 in 1940 |
| Total Precipitation | 3.56 | 2.98 | 13.55 in 2005 | 0.17 in 1995 |
| Total Snowfall | 0.0 | 0.0 | T in 2001 | 0.0 in 2024 |
| Max Snow Depth | 0 | – | T in 1942 | 0 in 2024 |
| Total HDD (base 65) | 0 | 0 | 4 in 1892 | 0 in 2024 |
| Total CDD (base 65) | 331 | 283 | 400 in 1980 | 140 in 1940 |
| Year-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 74.3 | 71.8 | 75.4 in 2012 | 65.6 in 1895 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 55.1 | 52.3 | 55.7 in 1880 | 45.6 in 1940 |
| Avg Temperature | 64.7 | 62.1 | 65.5 in 2012 | 56.0 in 1940 |
| Total Precipitation | 32.28 | 28.71 | 46.99 in 1912 | 13.36 in 1986 |
| Total Snowfall (since July 1) | 0.0 | 0.0 | T in 2001 | 0.0 in 2024 |
| Max Snow Depth (since July 1) | 0 | – | T in 1942 | 0 in 2024 |
| Total HDD (since July 1) | 0 | 0 | 4 in 1892 | 0 in 2024 |
| Total CDD (since Jan 1) | 1236 | 968 | 1236 in 2024 | 541 in 1961 |
Period of Record:
- Max Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2024-07-17
- Min Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2024-07-17
- Precipitation : 1878-10-01 to 2024-07-17
- Snowfall : 1928-12-25 to 2024-07-16
- Snow Depth : 1928-12-25 to 2024-07-15
For much more information on the climate in our area, visit the NWS Climate FAQ for the Atlanta area.
What does the National Weather Service do?
The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The NWS describes its role as follows:
“The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.
“These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.”
