ATLANTA — It will be a dangerously hot and humid first day back to school for several metro Atlanta school districts Thursday.
There is an 11Alive Weather Impact Alert for Aug. 1 for high heat and humidity, making it feel like the triple-digits for an extended period during the late morning through the early evening in some north Georgia communities.
A Heat Advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday for most of north Georgia with the exception of the northeast Georgia mountains. During this time, the feels-like temperatures, known as the Heat Index, could climb as high as 108.
Districts heading back Thursday include Cobb County Schools, the state's second largest school district by enrollment numbers. Atlanta Public Schools, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Douglas, Henry, Forsyth and other counties will have their first day of school. 11 Alive compiled a full list, which can be viewed by the link below.
For the bus stop in the morning, temperatures will be in the 70s. Sunrise time is 6:50 a.m. Even though the hottest part of the day won't kick in for a few hours, make sure students are sent out the door for the bus with a water bottle!
Temperatures by 10 a.m. will jump to the mid 80s with the feels-like temperature around 90 degrees. By noon, the heat index could near 100 degrees in parts of north Georgia.
This dangerous heat could result in school districts choosing to avoid outdoor recess during the hottest hours of the day to keep students safe.
After school temperatures will be in the mid and upper 90s with the heat index between 102 and 108 across the metro area. As students finish their first day, it will not be a day to play outside.
Heat is the top weather-related killer in the United States each year, according to the National Weather Service. Young children and the elderly are more prone to heat-related illnesses because their bodies' natural air conditioning, the science of sweating, isn't as efficient as the average adult.
