Weathers on WACN 21 News

Metro Atlanta Braces for Triple-Digit Heat Index, Pop-Up Weekend Storms

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:16:00 -0400

Metro Atlanta residents are bracing for a sweltering weekend as a combination of high temperatures and intense humidity is set to push heat index values into the triple digits.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City has issued a hazardous weather outlook for north and central Georgia, warning that while actual air temperatures will hover around 91°F to 93°F, the high moisture content in the air will make it feel as hot as 102°F during the peak hours of Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Atlanta Heat Dome Strains Fulton County Jail, Stretches Power Grid

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:00 -0400

An intense early-summer heat dome settled over the American Southeast on Friday, pushing temperatures in metro Atlanta to a scorching 96°F—with heat index values peaking at a dangerous 106°F—and exposing critical vulnerabilities in the region’s public infrastructure.

At the Fulton County Jail on Rice Street, a facility already under federal scrutiny, the extreme heat triggered partial failures of the main cooling systems. Inside the jail’s oldest housing towers, internal temperatures reportedly soared past 90 degrees, prompting emergency mitigation efforts from the Sheriff’s Office and sharp condemnation from local advocacy groups.

Soaking May rains ease Georgia drought, but Lake Lanier still lags behind

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 -0400

After months of watching reservoirs shrink and stream gauges plummet, Georgia caught a break in May.

Metro Atlanta recorded more than five inches of rain during the month — well above the historical average and enough to rank May 2026 among the wettest on record for parts of the state. The rainfall recharged topsoil moisture, greened up parched lawns, and provided meaningful relief to farmers in south Georgia who had been drawing heavily on irrigation wells.

Georgia declares statewide Level 1 drought response as reservoir levels drop

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:30:00 -0400

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division declared a statewide Level 1 Drought Response on Sunday, citing record-low stream flows and deepening reservoir deficits that have pushed roughly 80 percent of the state into extreme or exceptional drought categories.

It is the most significant drought declaration the state has issued since the severe water crisis of 2007.

Lake Lanier’s slide

The state’s largest water source tells the story in numbers. Lake Lanier sat at approximately 1,065.7 feet above mean sea level as of Sunday afternoon — more than five feet below the Army Corps of Engineers’ full-pool target of 1,071 feet.