Welcome to the Summer Solstice! This is the time of year when the Earth’s axis is tilted towards the sun.
As a result, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the longest amount of sunlight on this date, and the shortest night. Here in Atlanta, we can expect 14 hours, 23 minutes and 59 seconds of daylight on this Summer Solstice.
Over the next 90 days or so, the amount of daylight will dwindle to 12 hours, 6 minutes and 52 seconds on September 22, which is the Fall Equinox.
Summer Sizzle Underway This Weekend
Afternoon temperatures will stay around average today, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s.
However, temperatures will quickly soar through this weekend, climbing into the mid to upper 90s by Saturday!
As air temperatures climb, remember that surface temperatures will heat up significantly as well!
Dark surfaces -- like asphalt -- absorb the sunlight and become considerably hotter than the surrounding air temperatures. During an 80 degree day, surface temperatures can climb as high as high as 125 to 140 degrees in the sunshine!
The best way to protect your pet’s paws is to do the “7-Second Test”: Place the back of your hand on the ground for 7 seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it will likely be too hot for your pets.
Remember: The coolest temperature of the day occurs just before sunrise. Morning lows this week will quickly climb into the mid 70s through this weekend, marking the start of hot and muggy days ahead for the Metro Atlanta area.