A split flow pattern was observed in the upper atmospheric pattern across the United States during this period. S.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.
A split flow pattern was observed in the upper atmospheric pattern across the United States during this period. A large upper low was anchored across the northeast U.S. while another upper low was moving east from the south central U.S. A large Canadian surface high extended from the Ohio Valley into New England. A cold front and associated surface low was tracking across south Georgia. Widespread light to moderate precipitation was observed across north Georgia during this period as the surface low tracked across south Georgia. Although the cold air was not particularly deep into the southeast, it was deep enough for freezing and frozen precipitation to affect several north Georgia counties, especially for elevations above 2500 feet.
Snow and ice accumulations were highly variable from lower to high elevations, although quite significant at the higher elevations. The most significant snow fell across the north central and northwest counties closest to the Tennessee border. While most areas reported less than 2.0 inches of snow, parts of Fannin county received up to 8.0 inches of snow, especially in the McCaysville area. A significant amount of sleet and ice also fell in the Burnt Mountain area of northeast Pickens county, leaving many residents in that area iced in and without power for several days. Lower elevations and valley areas received mostly liquid precipitation and experienced little winter weather trouble.
The following is a summary of snow, sleet, and ice reports from north Georgia counties received from the 29th into the 30th.
Catoosa county received a total of 0.50 inch of snow, sleet, and freezing rain, most of which was snow. Much of the precipitation melted as it fell.
Chatooga county received less than 0.10 inch of sleet and freezing rain. Several accidents were reported across the county.
Dade county received up to 3.0 inches of snow across much of the county. However, snowfall amounts of 4.0 to 4.5 inches were observed in the Lookout and Sand Mountain areas. Many major roads were snow covered and hazardous. The town of Trenton was virtually shut down with numerous traffic accidents. In addition, ice accumulations of 0.25 to 0.50 inch were observed on Lookout Mountain causing several trees or tree limbs to fall on power lines. Some power outages were observed in this area.
Dawson county reported ice accumulations up to 1/3 inch at elevations just above 2000 feet, generally in the Big Canoe area. Significant icing was observed on trees and other exposed objects in this area. This icing extended into northeast Pickens county as well, where conditions were even worse.
Fannin county received 5.0 to 8.0 inches of snow. The 8.0 inches of snow was observed in the far northern part of the county near McCaysville. Snow reached warning criteria of 3.0 inches for this county around 300 pm EST.
Gilmer county received a light dusting of sleet and snow.
Gordon county received a light dusting of snow.
Murray county received a light accumulation of sleet. Several accidents were reported.
Pickens county observed 1.0 inch or more of icing at elevations just above 2000 feet in the Big Canoe area. Extensive icing was observed on trees and power lines in the area causing extended power outages to residents in this mountain community. This area was inaccessible except by emergency vehicle for two to three days, leaving residents in the area without power for up to three days. The icing extended into far northwest Dawson county as well.
Towns county received a light dusting of snow.
Union county received up to 4.0 inches of snow in the higher elevations. This accumulation was observed as of 300 pm EST. The snow changed over to rain during the evening and much of the snow subsequently melted.
Walker county received 1.5 inches of snow.
Whitfield county received snowfall ranging from 1.0 inch in the southern part of the county to 2.0 inches in the northern part.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 29, 5:30 AM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 530 AM EST FRI JAN 29 2010 .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MAIN FOCUS IS ON MAJOR WINTER STORM APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW TRACKS FROM THE TEXAS COAST TO OFF THE CAROLINA COAST BY LATE SATURDAY...SPREADING A SWATH OF HEAVY SNOW...SLEET...AND ICE TO ITS NORTH CENTERED ON ACROSS OK/AR/TN/NC. TRANSITION ZONE FROM RAIN TO FROZEN PRECIP WILL BE ACROSS NORTH GA DURING THE EVENT WITH MODEL THERMAL PROFILES POINTING TOWARD MOSTLY RAIN OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND RAIN/SLEET/SNOW OVER THE NORTH. MODEL QPF STILL RUNNING AROUND AN INCH NORTH AND NEAR 1.5 INCHES OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT AND INTO EARLY SATURDAY. THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE FORECAST IS HOW MUCH OF EACH P-TYPE WILL MAKE UP THAT 1 INCH WATER EQUIVALENT IN THE NORTH. TEMPERATURES ALOFT THROUGH MOST OF TODAY INTO THIS EVENING WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF SN/IP...THOUGH WARMER SURFACE LAYER WILL MEAN A GOOD DEAL OF PRECIP WILL BE RAIN AT THE SURFACE OR MOSTLY MELT ON CONTACT WITH GROUND. LATE TONIGHT...NORTHEAST WINDS IN THE NEAR SURFACE LAYER BEGIN ADVECTING COOLER AIR INTO NORTHEAST GEORGIA...AS WARM ADVECTION BOOSTS TEMPERATURES ABOVE THE SURFACE TO JUST 0 DEG C. THIS SHOULD CUT OFF SNOW POTENTIAL IN MOST AREAS AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET BECOMING THE MAJOR PROBLEM INTO EARLY SATURDAY. BEST ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW IS FOR A GENERAL 2-4 INCH SNOW OVER THE NORTHEAST GA MOUNTAINS EARLY TONIGHT AND A 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH ICE ACCUMULATION TOWARD MORNING OVER MUCH OF NORTHEAST GA...WITH THOSE HIGHEST VALUES IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. FINAL TRANSITION BACK TO LIGHT SNOW OCCURS AS COLDER AIR WRAPS AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF THE LOW SATURDAY MORNING. PRECIP SHOULD END OVER THE NORTH GA MOUNTAINS BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THAT HIGH WILL SLIDE PAST US JUST TO OUR NORTH SUNDAY NIGHT MOVING OFF TO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES BY MONDAY. SOME MOISTURE RETURN OCCURS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AS A WEAK SHORTWAVE TRAVERSES THE AREA IN CONTINUED SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. HOWEVER...THE DISTURBANCE LOOKS WEAK AND PRECIP CHANCES FAIRLY LOW. A REINFORCING HIGH BUILDS BACK IN ON TUESDAY HOLDING IN PLACE OVER THE LOCAL AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AS OUR NEXT SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM GATHERS TO OUR WEST FOR THURSDAY. RRH && AVIATION... NORTHWEST WINDS WILL SHIFT TO NORTHEAST JUST AFTER SUNRISE AS MIDLEVEL CLOUDS BEGIN MOVING IN. BY NEAR 21Z...EXPECT LOW END VFR CLOUDS TO MOVE IN WITH -RA. CIGS DROP TO IFR OVERNIGHT WITH MVFR VSBYS...AND SOME INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE'LL SEE LIFR BEFORE SUNRISE SATURDAY. WILL KEEP THIS AT PROB30 FOR NOW. -RA THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD...WITH GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS. AT THIS TIME...WILL NOT INCLUDE ANY FREEZING/FROZEN PRECIP IN THE TAFS...LOOKS LIKE IT WILL REMAIN TO THE NORTH...BUT MAY HAVE TO REEVALUATE WITH LATER PACKAGES. TDP && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 52 32 35 23 47 / 40 100 70 10 5 ATLANTA 52 34 40 27 48 / 60 100 30 10 5 BLAIRSVILLE 43 30 33 24 41 / 70 100 80 20 5 CARTERSVILLE 47 33 38 25 46 / 70 100 50 10 5 COLUMBUS 58 43 50 30 54 / 40 100 20 10 5 GAINESVILLE 46 31 34 25 46 / 60 100 70 10 5 MACON 57 41 46 25 54 / 40 100 70 10 5 ROME 46 34 38 25 47 / 80 100 60 10 5 PEACHTREE CITY 53 37 40 25 50 / 50 100 20 10 5 VIDALIA 64 45 51 32 53 / 30 100 60 10 5 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BARTOW...CATOOSA...CHATTOOGA... CHEROKEE...DADE...FLOYD...FORSYTH...GORDON...PICKENS...WALKER... WHITFIELD. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BANKS...DAWSON...FANNIN... GILMER...HALL...JACKSON...LUMPKIN...MADISON...MURRAY...TOWNS... UNION...WHITE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 516 AM EST FRI JAN 29 2010 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-301030- BALDWIN-BANKS-BARROW-BARTOW-BIBB-BLECKLEY-BUTTS-CARROLL-CATOOSA- CHATTAHOOCHEE-CHATTOOGA-CHEROKEE-CLARKE-CLAYTON-COBB-COWETA- CRAWFORD-CRISP-DADE-DAWSON-DEKALB-DODGE-DOOLY-DOUGLAS-EMANUEL- FANNIN-FAYETTE-FLOYD-FORSYTH-GILMER-GLASCOCK-GORDON-GREENE- GWINNETT-HALL-HANCOCK-HARALSON-HARRIS-HEARD-HENRY-HOUSTON-JACKSON- JASPER-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-JONES-LAMAR-LAURENS-LUMPKIN-MACON- MADISON-MARION-MERIWETHER-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-MORGAN-MURRAY- MUSCOGEE-NEWTON-NORTH FULTON-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-PAULDING-PEACH- PICKENS-PIKE-POLK-PULASKI-PUTNAM-ROCKDALE-SCHLEY-SOUTH FULTON- SPALDING-STEWART-SUMTER-TALBOT-TALIAFERRO-TAYLOR-TELFAIR-TOOMBS- TOWNS-TREUTLEN-TROUP-TWIGGS-UNION-UPSON-WALKER-WALTON-WARREN- WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WHEELER-WHITE-WHITFIELD-WILCOX-WILKES- WILKINSON- 516 AM EST FRI JAN 29 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... HEAVY SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. .SYNOPSIS... AN AREA OF COLD HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL SLIDE EAST TODAY...AND WEDGE DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE NORTHWEST GULF WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEAST TODAY...TOWARD SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. THE COMBINATION OF COLD TEMPERATURES AND INCREASING MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN A WINTER STORM ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA...AND A COLD RAIN FURTHER SOUTH. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THE PRIMARY HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WINTER STORM ARE 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW...AND ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF INCH OF ICE...IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA...GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF A LINE THROUGH CHATSWORTH...DAWSONVILLE...GAINESVILLE...AND DANIELSVILLE. IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA...ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM ROME...TO CANTON...TO CUMMING...UP TO A HALF INCH OF SNOW...AND A LIGHT GLAZE OF ICE ARE POSSIBLE. .DISCUSSION... A WEDGE OF COLD AIR BUILDING DOWN THE EASTERN SEABOARD WILL MOVE INTO NORTHEAST GEORGIA TODAY. THE APPROACHING GULF LOW PRESSURE WILL SPREAD MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON. A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA AS TEMPERATURES FALL BELOW FREEZING. SNOW AND SLEET WILL BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE THIS EVENING. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD CHANGE OVER TO FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET AROUND MIDNIGHT OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA...MAINLY THE MOUNTAINS...WILL EXPERIENCE THE WORST WINTER WEATHER...BUT NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA WILL ALSO SEE SOME IMPACT. ABOVE-FREEZING TEMPERATURES FURTHER SOUTH SHOULD RESULT IN MAINLY A COLD RAIN FROM THE ATLANTA AREA SOUTH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINTER STORM ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF WINTER WEATHER THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 winter weather, 4 heavy snow, 3 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The Catoosa County 911 Center reported up to 0.50 inch of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the county, most of which was snow. Much of the precipitation melt as it fell.
The Chattooga County 911 Center and the public reported freezing rain accumulations up to 0.10 inch in the northern part of the county, north of Summerville.
The Dade County 911 Center reported that at least 3.0 inches of snow fell across much of the county. Snowfall amounts of 4.0 to 4.5 inches were observed in the higher elevation areas of Lookout and Sand Mountain in the northeast part of the county. Many of the major roads in the county were snow covered and hazardous. The town of Trenton was virtually shut down with numerous traffic accidents. In addition, ice accumulations of 0.25 to 0.50 inch were observed on Lookout Mountain causing several trees or tree limbs to fall on power lines. Power outages were observed in the area.
The Fannin County 911 Center reported anywhere from 5.0 inches of snow in the lower elevations of the county near Blue Ridge up to 8.0 inches of snow in the far northern part of the county near McCaysville and the Tennessee border.
The Gilmer County 911 Center reported a light dusting of sleet and snow, mainly in the higher elevations of the northern part of the county.
The Gordon County 911 Center reported a light dusting of snow, mainly at the higher elevations in the northern part of the county.
The Murray County 911 Center reported a light accumulation of sleet and some snow. Several traffic accidents were reported as a light coating of ice was observed on roads.
The Union County 911 Center reported that snowfall up to 4.0 inches was observed at the higher elevations in the county, especially the northwestern and western areas. Considerably less snowfall was observed in the eastern part of the county and at the lower elevations. The snow changed over to rain during the evening and much of the snow subsequently melted.
The Walker County 911 Center reported up to 1.5 inches of snow across much of the county, especially the northern areas.
The Whitfield County 911 Center reported snowfall ranging from 1.0 inch in the southern part to 2.0 inches in the northern part, just barely meeting the heavy snow criteria for this county.
The Towns County 911 Center reported a light dusting of snow.
The Dade County 911 Center reported that ice accumulations of 0.25 to 0.50 inch were observed on Lookout Mountain causing several trees or tree limbs to fall on power lines. Power outages were observed in the area.
The public reported significant icing in the Big Canoe area of far northwest Dawson county, mainly at elevations just above 2000 feet. Up to 0.33 inch of ice was observed on trees, power lines, and even some road surfaces in the area. The icing extended into northeast Pickens county, where conditions were even worse.
FOX 5 Television of Atlanta reported that the Big Canoe area and the Burnt Hickory mountain area of northeast Pickens county, an area largely with elevations above 2000 feet, experienced significant accumulations of freezing rain. Ice accumulations of 1.0 inch or more were observed in these areas, mostly above 2000 feet elevation. Extensive icing was observed on trees and power lines in the area causing extended power outages to residents in this mountain community. The area was largely inaccessible for the better part of three days except by emergency vehicles. Many residents in the area were left without power for up to three days. The icing extended into far northwest Dawson county as well.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, January 2010
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 213189, 213190, 213191, 213195, 213196, 213197, 213198, 213206, 213207, 213208, 213202, 213192, 213193, 213201.