The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for a cluster of counties in and around metro Atlanta, with heat index up to 108 degrees possible until 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 29. 

Bonus for the more weather-curious among you … To read an article about interpreting a weather news report with some of the typical terminology defined, follow this link.

What is in the heat advisory?

Here is an excerpt from the heat advisory:

…HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING…

* WHAT…Heat index values up to 108.

* WHERE…Portions of central, east central, north central,

  northeast, northwest, and west central Georgia.

* WHEN…Until 8 PM EDT this evening.

* IMPACTS…Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat

  illnesses.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of

the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

What counties are affected?

The following counties are listed in the outlook:

Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dade, DeKalb, Dooly, Douglas, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gordon, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Lamar, Macon, Madison, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, North Fulton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Rockdale, Schley, South Fulton, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Upson, Walker, Walton, Webster, Whitfield, Wilcox, Wilkes

Including the cities of:

Abbeville, Americus, Athens, Atlanta, Barnesville, Bremen, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carrollton, Cartersville, Cedartown, Chatsworth, Columbus, Comer, Commerce, Conyers, Cordele, Covington, Crawford, Cumming, Dalton, Dallas, Decatur, Douglasville, East Point, Ellaville, Fort Benning, Fort Oglethorpe, Fort Valley, Forsyth, Franklin, Gainesville, Griffin, Hawkinsville, Homer, Jackson, LaFayette, Lawrenceville, Lumpkin, Manchester, Marietta, Montezuma, Monroe, Newnan, Peachtree City, Pine Mountain, Preston, Riverdale, Roberts, Rome, Stockbridge, Summerville, Talbotton, Thomaston, Trenton, Vienna, Warner Robins, Washington, Watkinsville, West Point, Winder, Woodstock, Zebulon

What is the heat index?

The NWS defines the heat index as follows on its website:

The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. This has important considerations for the human body’s comfort. When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off.

Chart from NOAA showing relationship between relative humidity and temperature in heat index

About the National Weather Service

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.

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