S. toward the mid-Atlantic region.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 deep upper trough and closed low were moving from the south central U.S. toward the mid-Atlantic region. This system brought widespread moderate to heavy rain to north and central Georgia. Most areas of the state received two to three inches of rain from this event. A massive area of Arctic air covered much of the United States east of the Rockies. However, an upper ridge located across south Florida and Bermuda was helping to steer the majority of this Arctic air just northeast of Georgia. Nonetheless, the cold air was deep enough initially across north Georgia for the precipitation to begin as a mix of snow and sleet, before changing to all rain by daybreak on the 4th. Areas north of a Carrollton, to Cumming, to Cleveland line saw on average 1/2 inch of snow. The greatest amount of snow was reported from Chattooga county with 1.0 inch to 1.5 inches of snow. Some sleet and isolated pockets of freezing rain were also noted at the beginning of the event. Since surface and ground temperatures generally held in the 32 to 34F range, no significant travel problems were noted with this event. Below is a listing of winter weather reports received from north Georgia counties.
Carroll county - a trace of sleet, and a trace of ice accumulation. Some ice noted on trees around Carrollton;|Chattooga county - 1.0 to 1.5 inches of snow;|Cherokee county - 0.5 inch of snow;|Dawson county - < 0.5 inch of snow;|Douglas county - 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;|Floyd county - 0.5 inch of snow;|Forsyth county - 0.5 inch of snow;|Paulding county - a trace of snow;|Polk county - < 0.5 inch of snow;|Union county - 0.5 inch of snow and 0.1 inch of ice accumulation in Blairsville;|White county - 0.5 inch of snow.
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 Feb 3, 12:59 PM EST, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1259 PM EST THU FEB 3 2011 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1040 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011/ UPDATE... MAKING A FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO LOWER AFTERNOON HIGHS A BIT...AND EXTEND CHANCE OF OF SLEET MIXTURE INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES ARE CURRENTLY RISING ABOVE FREEZING IN THE AREAS WHERE RADAR SHOWS PRECIPITATION...BUT MIXTURE OF SLEET IS STILL POSSIBLE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. STILL DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY SIGNIFICANT ICING PROBLEMS DUE TO THE LIGHT NATURE OF THE PRECIPITATION AND THE WARMING TEMPERATURES. ALSO MADE CHANGES TO WORDING FOR THE POSSIBLE MIXTURE TONIGHT AS TEMPERATURES AT 850MB AND ABOVE APPEAR TOO WARM FOR WIDESPREAD SNOW...MORE IN LINE WITH THE SLEET MIXTURE. NEWEST MOS GUIDANCE...12Z MET...IS EVEN WARMER FOR THE OVERNIGHT THAN PREVIOUS RUNS BUT LOW TO MID 30S ARE STILL EXPECTED MOST AREAS ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA. UPDATE... /ISSUED 818 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011/ ISSUING A QUICK UPDATE TO INCLUDE WINTRY MIX ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA. WITH LIGHT AMOUNTS AND TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO CLIMB ABOVE FREEZING IN THE PRECIPITATION AREA WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS...I WILL ISSUE A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT IN LIEU OF AN ADVISORY RIGHT NOW. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AT THIS TIME. SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... /ISSUED 405 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011/ CURRENT RADAR LOOP SHOWS A THIN LINE OF SHOWERS STREAMING ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH GA THIS MORNING. THIS LINE IS THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SYSTEM THAT WILL MOVE IN ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT THROUGH SAT MORNING. THIS SYSTEM IS DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN GULF AT THE MOMENT AND WILL SLOWLY MOVE NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH TONIGHT. MOISTURE WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE ACROSS THE STATE WITH RAIN SPREADING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. THE MAIN CLOSED LOW CENTER BEGINS TO STRENGTHEN OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA THIS EVENING...THEN MOVES TO JUST OFF THE AL/FL GULF COAST BY 00Z SAT. AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS OUR AREA IT DOES NOT HAVE MUCH INSTABILITY OR SHEER WITH IT SO WILL CONTINUE WITH JUST RAIN FOR NOW. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM. QPF VALUES SHOW 2-3 INCHES FALLING ACROSS CENTRAL GA THROUGH 12Z SAT...WITH 1-2 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA. THE CONCERN IS THESE AMOUNTS WILL COMBINE WITH WET SOILS FROM THE RAIN WE RECEIVED TUE MAKING CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR MINOR FLOODING. THERE IS ALSO A COLD AIR MASS ALREADY IN PLACE ACROSS THE STATE...SO NORTH GA MAY SEE SOME MIXED RAIN/SNOW FRI MORNING AND AGAIN SAT MORNING. THIS INCLUDES THE ATLANTA AREA FRI MORNING BUT ONLY THE N GA MOUNTAINS SAT MORNING. NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED AS GROUND TEMPERATURES ARE TOO WARM AND THE MIXED PRECIPITATION IS NOT EXPECTED TO LAST LONG. THE COLD FRONT WITH THIS SYSTEM SWEEPS THROUGH SAT MORNING AS THE LOW CENTER PUSHES NE ALONG THE EAST COAST. LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... /ISSUED 405 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011/ THE MAIN LOW CENTER WITH THIS SYSTEM EVENTUALLY BECOMES CENTERED OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST BY 18Z SAT ALLOWING A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE TO BUILD IN ACROSS THE GULF STATES AND EVENTUALLY GA FOR THE WEEKEND. THE MODELS ARE SHOWING A SECOND SYSTEM MOVING E OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS SUN WITH ITS COLD FRONT SWEEPING THROUGH GA MON. THE COLD FRONT DOES NOT LOOK TO HAVE MUCH MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH IT BUT AS THE LOW CENTER MOVES NE THE WRAP AROUND MOISTURE SWEEPS ACROSS N GA TUE. FOR NOW WILL JUST PUT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF PRECIP AS THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A DIFFERENT SOLUTION WITH THIS SYSTEM FROM RUN TO RUN. 01 && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... PRECIP TYPE WAS A STRUGGLE WITH THE 18Z TAFS. INCLUDED THE POSSIBILITY OF SLEET THROUGH 20Z BUT IT SHOULD BE PREDOMINATELY RAIN WITH SOME SLEET MIXED IN ACROSS THE ATLANTA METRO TAF SITES. AFTER THAT...EXPECT ALL RAIN AND THEN THE POSSIBILITY AGAIN OF SOME SLEET IN THE MORNING. WINDS WILL REMAIN EASTERLY THROUGH THE FORECAST. CIGS ARE GENERALLY REMAINING AROUND 8-9KFT. ALTHOUGH CIGS WILL SLOWLY COME DOWN...DO NOT EXPECT MVFR CONDITIONS UNTIL 00-03Z...THEN CONTINUING TO DROP TO IFR BY 06Z. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... HIGH CONFIDENCE ON WIND. MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ON PRECIP TYPE THROUGH 20Z. MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ON TIMING OF LOWER CLOUDS AND CIGS OVERNIGHT. 11 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 43 33 39 33 / 30 100 100 100 ATLANTA 41 32 40 33 / 30 100 100 100 BLAIRSVILLE 40 29 42 35 / 20 100 100 100 CARTERSVILLE 40 32 41 35 / 20 100 100 100 COLUMBUS 41 35 45 38 / 60 100 100 100 GAINESVILLE 41 33 40 34 / 20 100 100 100 MACON 44 36 43 37 / 60 100 100 100 ROME 40 32 41 36 / 20 100 100 100 PEACHTREE CITY 40 34 40 34 / 40 100 100 100 VIDALIA 48 39 45 45 / 60 100 100 100 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 810 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-041000- 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- 810 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTRY MIX IS POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING AND PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA LATE TONIGHT. .SYNOPSIS... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND DRIFT NORTHEAST FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO TODAY...SPREADING DEEPER MOISTURE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA THROUGH TONIGHT. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... ICY SPOTS ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA AND IN THE MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT. .DISCUSSION... A BAND OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING IS PRODUCING SOME AREAS OF SLEET THAT HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME ICING OF BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. THE SLEET THIS MORNING WILL GENERALLY BE CONFINED TO AN AREA NORTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO WARRENTON AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM BUCHANAN TO GAINESVILLE. IN ADDITION...RAIN IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY AND TONIGHT AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DRIFTS NORTHEAST FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE RAIN LATE TONIGHT COULD BECOME MIXED WITH SLEET OR SNOW ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA...GENERALLY FOR THE AREA FROM ATLANTA TO ATHENS NORTHWARD. LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATION IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A RAIN AND SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA FRIDAY MORNING AND AGAIN ON SATURDAY MORNING. OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF ANY FREEZING OR FROZEN PRECIP THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1057 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011 GAZ022>025-027-031>039-041>060-066>071-031930- FORSYTH-HALL-BANKS-JACKSON-MADISON-PAULDING-COBB-NORTH FULTON- GWINNETT-BARROW-CLARKE-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-WILKES-HARALSON-CARROLL- DOUGLAS-SOUTH FULTON-DEKALB-ROCKDALE-WALTON-NEWTON-MORGAN-GREENE- TALIAFERRO-HEARD-COWETA-FAYETTE-CLAYTON-SPALDING-HENRY-BUTTS- JASPER-PUTNAM-TROUP-MERIWETHER-PIKE-UPSON-LAMAR-MONROE- 1057 AM EST THU FEB 3 2011 ...LIGHT WINTRY MIX POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH GEORGIA... A BAND OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION EXTENDED ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA LATE THIS MORNING. WITH TEMPERATURES AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE FREEZING IN THIS AREA...A MIXTURE OF VERY LIGHT RAIN AND SLEET HAS BEEN REPORTED. ALTHOUGH THE SLEET WILL BE LIGHT AND NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED...ICY SPOTS ARE POSSIBLE ON ROADS...ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO WARM ABOVE FREEZING THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN IS NORTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO MILLEDGEVILLE AND WARRENTON AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM AROUND FRANKLIN TO COVINGTON AND ATHENS. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR ICY SPOTS ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. SLOW DOWN AND LEAVE EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATER UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 224 PM EST THU FEB 3 2011 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>023-030>035-041>048-052>058-066>070-078- 079-089-040730- DADE-WALKER-CATOOSA-WHITFIELD-MURRAY-FANNIN-GILMER-UNION-TOWNS- CHATTOOGA-GORDON-PICKENS-DAWSON-LUMPKIN-WHITE-FLOYD-BARTOW- CHEROKEE-FORSYTH-HALL-POLK-PAULDING-COBB-NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT- BARROW-HARALSON-CARROLL-DOUGLAS-SOUTH FULTON-DEKALB-ROCKDALE- WALTON-NEWTON-HEARD-COWETA-FAYETTE-CLAYTON-SPALDING-HENRY-BUTTS- TROUP-MERIWETHER-PIKE-UPSON-LAMAR-HARRIS-TALBOT-MUSCOGEE- 224 PM EST THU FEB 3 2011 ...LIGHT WINTRY MIX POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH GEORGIA... LIGHT PRECIPITATION CONTINUED ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES WERE AT OR ABOVE FREEZING IN THESE AREAS...A MIXTURE OF LIGHT RAIN AND SLEET HAS BEEN REPORTED. THE SLEET WILL BE GENERALLY LIGHT AND NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED...HOWEVER ISOLATED ICY SPOTS ARE POSSIBLE ON ROADS...ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM HAMILTON TO COVINGTON AND HIAWASSEE. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN AT OR ABOVE FREEZING THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. MIXED RAIN AND SLEET WILL CONTINUE ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH GEORGIA OVERNIGHT. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT OR ABOVE FREEZING ACROSS MOST AREAS OVERNIGHT...BUT TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN COOL ENOUGH FOR SOME MIXED RAIN...SLEET AND POSSIBLY SNOW NORTH OF A LINE FROM ROME TO CLEVELAND. SOME MOUNTAIN VALLEYS MAY SEE BRIEF PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN. NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SLEET OR ICE ARE EXPECTED. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR ICY SPOTS ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. SLOW DOWN AND LEAVE EXTRA DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATER UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
The Carroll County Emergency Management Director reported a trace of sleet and a trace of ice accumulation on the trees.
The Douglas County 911 Center reported about 0.1 inch of ice accumulation throughout the county.
The Paulding County 911 Center reported only a trace of snow in most of the county.
The Polk County 911 Center reported generally less than 0.5 inch of snow throughout the county.
The Cherokee County Emergency Management Director reported 0.5 inch of snow across the county.
The Floyd County Emergency Management Director reported approximately 0.5 inch of snow throughout the county.
The Chattooga County Emergency Management Director reported from 1.0 to 1.5 inches of snow across the county.
The Dawson County 911 Center reported generally less than 0.5 inch of snow across the county.
The Forsyth County 911 Center reported 0.5 inch of snow throughout much of the county.
The Union County 911 Center reported 0.5 inch of snow throughout much of the county, and up to 0.1 inch of ice accumulation in the Blairsville area.
The White County Emergency Management Director reported 0.5 inch of snow across much of the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 2011
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: 284724, 284727, 284730, 284731, 284725, 284728, 283015, 284726, 284729, 284732, 284733.