Madeline Montgomery is a reporter for CBS News Atlanta, born and raised right here in the Peach State.
Atlanta could break records for high temperatures this week, which means tough working conditions for those in the metro area whose jobs keep them outside.
According to CBS News Atlanta meteorologists, temperatures could reach 90 degrees for the first time this season on Friday, breaking the current record for the earliest 90-degree day by just less than a week.
On Tuesday, the arborists and tree surgeons of Trees Plus Ltd. were getting paid to remove the shade they could use in the hot weather.
"We're out in the sun when it crests at 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week, sometimes six days a week," said Trees Plus Ltd. owner Nick Sanchez.
Sanchez said he prepares his employees for the heat with weekly safety meetings.
"We go through the weather of the week, and sort of how it's going to be and what we need to do to prepare for it, so that's like starting jobs earlier, maybe we're adjusting our start time to an hour earlier," he said.
There's not much flexibility on when contractors can work outside due to many metro Atlanta cities having noise ordinances, according to roofer Todd Hendryx, the owner of Dogwood Roofing. That's why his crew dresses for the sun they're stuck working in.
"When guys are wearing white shirts, it’s actually reflecting their body temperature back towards them, whereas with black or darker shirts, it’s actually being absorbed and then the heat dissipates outside," Hendryx said.
They also have mandatory water breaks every hour due to how hot it gets on the roof.
"There can often be a 50, 60, 70-degree differential between on the ground versus on the roof, so we make sure the guys take safety breaks and have plenty of water," said Hendryx.
Sanchez likes beverage options to keep his team hydrated in the heat.
"A lot of our coolers and everything when we stock up in the morning at the ice machine, we’re putting waters, Gatorade, Gatorade Zero, stuff like that, so they’re not getting too much sugar throughout the day, but we also keep the element salt packets in all the trucks so they’re getting proper doses of sodium, potassium, magnesium," said Sanchez.
Sanchez and Hendryx agree that the first heat wave hits the hardest.
"You do kind of get that shock of that first heat of 'Oh, OK, it's back.' And that takes a little bit, a week to adjust to that, breaking a sweat while you're actually working," said Sanchez.
"Especially when you have the 80-degree temperatures, and then last week we had temperatures starting in the upper 30s for the lows for the morning. So yeah, Georgia weather takes some getting used to," said Hendryx.
Both business owners say they also monitor their crews for heat exhaustion and will send anyone home if they show symptoms.