ATLANTA — You may have been asking yourself lately, what season is it? We're technically still in spring until June 21, but Mother Nature appears to be impatient this year.
A large ridge or bump in the jet stream will allow for temperatures to warm into the 90s to near 100 in North Georgia, with lower 100s possible in central and southern GA.
Here are 5 things to look out for in this upcoming warm weather pattern:
1. Hot Weather
Of course, this one may be the most obvious. Temperatures are expected to be 5-15 degrees above the average, which is the lower 80s.
The all-time high for the month of May in Atlanta is 97, that record will be in jeopardy this weekend with highs in the middle 90s.
Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer in Athens, and closer to 100 degrees in central Georgia.
The only relief we may get on these hot afternoons are the classic isolated, pop-up showers or storms.
2. Smog
Our warm weather is due to a large area of high-pressure overhead, which will not allow the city pollution to escape into the upper atmosphere like it usually does. Pollution remains closer to the ground, where we breathe. On top of that, sunny skies will allow for chemical reactions that produce ground-level ozone.
It's just a bad combination.
Those sensitive to ground level ozone, prepare to heed air quality alerts if issued.
3. Mosquitoes
While there won't be much humidity with this heat initially, the heat will be enough to get the mosquitoes buzzing and breeding. Elmer Gray with the UGA Public Health Extension said the warm overnights are the biggest factor that contributes to mosquitoes breeding.
Gray suggests emptying anything that can hold standing water -- like trays under potted plants, outside tarps, and drainage pipes -- with downspouts. Those small areas usually breed more mosquitoes than the larger retention ponds, Gray said.
4. Pavement Temperatures
Without the frequent passage of cold fronts, there won't be much cloud cover to keep the pavement cool during the hottest parts of the day. That means the ground is not only going to be hot walking around the pool but for the pets outside too.
Take a look at how hot the paved ground can be with the sun out:
Try walking your dog in the grass so they don't burn their feet!
And of course, never leave your dog(or child) in a car unattended.
5. UV Index
Generally, as we progress into summer months, the UV index will increase because of the change in sun angle. The sun is more directly overhead in the summer than in the winter, this leads us more susceptible to sunburn. Even in the dead of summer, cloud cover can cut down on the severity of UV exposure. But we're not expecting much cloud cover to shade us from sunlight.
That's why it is important to regularly apply the sunscreen while you spend time outside, especially between 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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