Mild conditions have moved into Metro Atlanta Tuesday morning, but it won’t stick around for much longer!

High pressure will settle over the eastern half of the United States through this weekend, bringing hot and humid conditions back to the Atlanta area.

High pressure means sinking air, and sinking air will compress and heat up as it makes impact with the ground. This process is known as adiabatic heating, and it will cause temperatures to climb as high as 10 degrees above average throughout the Southeast -- including in Metro Atlanta.

As a result, afternoon temperatures will quickly climb from the mid 80s on Tuesday into the mid 90s by this weekend.

Mid-June Heat Wave Not Uncommon for Metro Atlanta

It may seem early to discuss temperatures in the mid-90s, but a heat wave this early in the summer is not uncommon.

Thermometers have reached the upper 90s and even triple digits before in mid-June, as recently as 2016 and as far back as 1933. In fact, here are the record daily highs for this week in Atlanta:

• Thursday, June 13: 98 degrees (1958)
• Friday, June 14: 96 degrees (2016)
• Saturday, June 15: 99 degrees (2022) (only two years ago!)
• Sunday, June 16: 98 degrees (1936)
• Monday, June 17: 102 degrees (1936)
• Tuesday, June 18: 101 degrees (1944)
• Wednesday, June 19: 99 degrees (1933)

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.

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