WEATHER: Triple-digit heat index expected for start of week as summer arrives for holiday week

For those who have to work outside to start the week off: apologies for the bad news. It is gonna be a scorcher as the heat index gets into the triple digits across Northwest Georgia, and more of the same is likely heading into the remainder of the holiday week as America celebrates its 250th birthday this coming Saturday.

NWS Peachtree City is putting the heat index across the region as a heat advisory will be in effect to open the week from noon until 8 p.m. Eastern, with every county across Northwest Georgia expected to feel the oven cranked up to high through tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Here’s how the heat index is as of Sunday night predicted for Monday:

• Bremen – 101
• Buchanan – 101
• Calhoun – 105
• Cartersville – 105
• Cedartown – 106
• Dallas – 104
• Dalton – 102
• LaFayette – 100
• Ringgold – 102
• Rockmart – 106
• Rome – 106
• Summerville – 102
• Tallapoosa – 102
• Trenton – 104

Sunshine will dominate and temperatures will for the purposes of official recordkeeping sit in the 90s across the region for the opening of Independence Day week across Northwest Georgia.

With a heat advisory in place – and probably more to come with the heat index predictions remaining in triple digit ranges over the coming days – NWS Peachtree City is asking residents to ensure they remain hydrated, stay in cool places as much as possible, and those who have to be outdoors to seek shade and take regular breaks indoors to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Unfortunately, it’s still going to feel warm out as temps will continue in the upper 70s overnight across the region.

Expect temperatures to remain high and the heat index to play a factor again on Tuesday, highs will get into the upper 90s for much of Northwest Georgia, and the heat index will get into the triple digits again heading into the midweek.

Slight chances for showers and thunderstorms fueled by the high temps and humidity will be possible around Northwest Georgia, but don’t expect any relief with sunshine still reigning supreme here during the early days of summer.

Temps will remain in the upper 90s through the remainder of the week, but chances for showers and thunderstorms will remain low and are possible during the afternoon hours through the remainder of the latter half of the holiday week across Northwest Georgia.

Slight chances for showers persist heading into Friday and Saturday celebrations for July 3 and July 4 for America’s 250th, with highs still expected in the mid to upper 90s and down into the mid 70s overnight.

Looking ahead

Don’t expect any relief anytime soon from the heat ahead, as highs will remains in the low to mid 90s heading into the second week of July and won’t start getting into the upper 80s range until the third week of the second month of summer.

Some rain chances will be in the forecast, but expect sunshine to predominate and impact dry conditions in the weeks to come. Drought conditions that had lessened statewide – now much of the state is either abnormally dry or in moderate drought conditions, with minor spots of severe drought impacting the state still, could see a dramatic return.

Drought conditions

The U.S. Drought Monitor currently has much of Northwest Georgia remaining just abnormally dry or under moderate drought after months of low rainfall impacting the state and all of the southeast as a whole.

While conditions in Alabama and Georgia have continued to improve in recent months, the remainder of the deep south and up through the Appalachian and into the Atlantic coastline still remain under severe or extreme drought conditions. Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia all are experiencing dry conditions that have refused to relent.

The other half of the southeast has mixed results, with most of Tennessee, a large area of Mississippi, the northern half of Louisiana and almost all of Arkansas under drought conditions. Kentucky despite experiencing severe flooding is also in drought conditions across a wide swath of the southern half of the state.

Whereas months ago only two states went without any drought conditions, the number is up to six for the moment as Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Vermont are the only states without any reported droughts at the moment. Vermont and Michigan do report abnormally dry conditions in some counties, but have no drought reports.

Two states suffering under heat and dry conditions are Utah and Colorado, where forest fires are raging amid both states experiencing historic dry conditions. Currently Utah’s Cottonwood Fire is the largest in the nation, and three firefighters died battling a Colorado blaze on Saturday.