A Heat Advisory is in effect across much of north and central Georgia from noon Friday through 8 p.m. Saturday, with heat index values as high as 109 degrees. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity could cause heat illnesses, while elevated overnight temperatures will provide little relief for vulnerable populations.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for north and central Georgia for Friday August 14.
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?
The hazardous weather outlook states the following:
251 AM EDT Fri Aug 14 2026
…HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM EDT
SATURDAY…
- WHAT…Heat index values up to 109 expected.
- WHERE…Portions of central, east central, north central,
northeast, northwest, southeast, and west central Georgia.- WHEN…From noon today to 8 PM EDT Saturday.
- IMPACTS…Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat
illnesses. Overnight temperatures and humidity will remain
elevated, providing little relief for vulnerable populations.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.Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose
fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning
or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and
heat stroke.
Counties included in the alert
- Baldwin
- Banks
- Barrow
- Bartow
- Bibb
- Bleckley
- Butts
- Carroll
- Catoosa
- Chattahoochee
- Chattooga
- Cherokee
- Clarke
- Clayton
- Cobb
- Coweta
- Crawford
- Crisp
- Dade
- DeKalb
- Dodge
- Dooly
- Douglas
- Emanuel
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Forsyth
- Glascock
- Gordon
- Greene
- Gwinnett
- Hall
- Hancock
- Haralson
- Harris
- Heard
- Henry
- Houston
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Lamar
- Laurens
- Macon
- Madison
- Marion
- Meriwether
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Murray
- Muscogee
- Newton
- North Fulton
- Oconee
- Oglethorpe
- Paulding
- Peach
- Pike
- Polk
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Rockdale
- Schley
- South Fulton
- Spalding
- Stewart
- Sumter
- Talbot
- Taliaferro
- Taylor
- Telfair
- Toombs
- Treutlen
- Troup
- Twiggs
- Upson
- Walker
- Walton
- Warren
- Washington
- Webster
- Wheeler
- Whitfield
- Wilcox
- Wilkes
- Wilkinson
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 federal agency within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its primary mission is to provide weather, water, and climate data, forecasts, and warnings to protect life and property and to enhance the national economy.
Headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, the NWS operates through a network of six regional headquarters and more than 100 local Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) across the country. These offices issue weather forecasts, warnings, advisories, and watches tailored to specific geographic areas.
Metro Atlanta is served by the National Weather Service’s Atlanta/Peachtree City Weather Forecast Office, located in Peachtree City. The office issues forecasts, watches, warnings and other weather information for much of north and central Georgia, including Cobb County.
The NWS also runs specialized centers, including the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) for severe weather outlooks, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for tropical storm tracking, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) for national forecast guidance, and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) for solar activity that may affect Earth-based systems.
NWS forecasts and alerts are based on data from a combination of satellites, radar systems, weather balloons, surface observation stations, and computer models. The agency collaborates with emergency managers, broadcasters, government agencies, and the public to ensure that timely and accurate information is disseminated during weather events.
Its services are made available to the public at no cost, and its warnings—such as tornado warnings, flash flood alerts, and winter storm advisories—serve as official guidance for public safety and emergency response.