Winter Storm in Georgia, December 19, 2000

This winter event followed rapidly on the heels of the December 17 snow event. Arctic air was firmly entrenched across north and central Georgia following the frontal passage of December 17. Because of the depth and extent of the cold air, both surface and aloft, nearly all of the precipitation fell as snow. The event was the result of an Alberta clipper system moving rapidly across the region in northwest flow aloft. Snowfall was more widespread and extended further south with this storm than with previous systems because of the southward extent of the cold air. However, limited moisture and the rapid movement of the system confined most snowfall amounts to the 1 to 2 inch range. Snowfall of 1 to 2 inches was common along and north of a line from Carrollton, to Newnan, to Peachtree City, to Griffin, to Covington, to Watkinsville, to Lexington, and southeast of a line from Chatsworth, to Fairmount, to Cartersville, to Dallas, to Cedartown. Only trace amounts were reported further south. Snowfall around 3 inches was common in the area bounded by Blue Ridge, Ellijay, Jasper, Canton, Roswell, Conyers, Lawrenceville, Dawsonville, Cleveland, Blairsville, and back to Blue Ridge. Forsyth and White counties reported the most with 4 inches. Because of the extended period of cold which encompassed the region, the snow stayed on the ground for much of the remainder of the week.