Extreme heat, drought, wildfire smoke & climate impacts

Severe heat and drought continue statewide, including Cobb County’s driest August and January–August on record. Recent storms may bring temporary relief but also flash flooding, damaging winds and lightning, while exceptionally warm Atlantic waters could support rapidly intensifying hurricanes despite El Niño. West Nile illness and death reports add a significant public-health dimension to Georgia’s climate and outdoor-exposure risks.