Dry high pressure dominated the area on the 11th. Relative humidity values dropped to the low to mid 20 percent range during the afternoon hours, creating high fire danger conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Dry high pressure dominated the area on the 11th. Relative humidity values dropped to the low to mid 20 percent range during the afternoon hours, creating high fire danger conditions.
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 Nov 11, 4:05 AM EST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
405 AM EST MON NOV 11 2013
...STRONG WINDS ARE FORECAST FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA TUESDAY
INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WHILE WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS LESS LIKELY...
.SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
A TRANQUIL START TO THE SHORT TERM PERIOD WITH RE-ENFORCING COLD
FRONT PROGRESSING WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE
BECOMING THE DOMINANT FEATURE FOR THE OHIO VALLEY AND MID-
ATLANTIC. NORTHERLY DRAINAGE FLOW THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT
SHOULD OFFSET LESS THAN IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS TO
RESULT IN TEMPS DROPPING INTO THE MID AND UPPER 30S FOR NORTH
GEORGIA. HAVE ADDED SOME PATCHY FROST FOR THOSE LOCATIONS AS WELL
AS SOME OF THE WIND SHELTERED AREA AND LEE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS
WILL LIKELY EXPERIENCE SOME THROUGH DAYBREAK.
FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY...HIGH WILL TRANSITION TO THE CAROLINAS
COAST WITH A LATE ARRIVING SHORTWAVE PROVIDING THE ONLY CHANCE OF
SEEING ANY CLOUDS AT ALL. AS SUCH...TEMPS SHOULD REBOUND NICELY
AFTER A CHILLY START AND WENT A DEGREE OR TWO ABOVE GUIDANCE WITH
MID 60S NORTH TO AROUND 70 FOR SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST
AREA.
TRANSITION PERIOD THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT AS STRONG 1044MB HIGH MOVES
SOUTH OUT OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY WITH SURFACE FRONT MAKING IT INTO
THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND AT OUR DOORSTEP BY 12Z. TEMPS SHOULD BE
SLIGHTLY WARMER WITH INCREASING CLOUDS AND SLIGHTLY ELEVATED
HEIGHTS AHEAD OF STRONG SHORTWAVE.
BIG WX STORY WILL BE FOR TUESDAY AS LEADING EDGE OF VERY COLD AIR
MOVES INTO NORTH GEORGIA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. ALONG THE
FRONT...MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A DRIER SOLUTION WITH LIMITED
MOISTURE AVAILABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VERY STRONG DPVA. IN
ADDITION...WITH TIMING OF SYSTEM...ALTHOUGH MID LEVELS WILL BE
SUPPORTIVE OF MIXED TYPE PRECIP EARLY ON...SURFACE TEMPS WILL
REMAIN IN THE 40S OUTSIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS. GIVEN THESE
VARIABLES...NOW EXPECTING A MIX OF -RA AND -SN TUE AFTERNOON IN
THE MOUNTAINS WITH -RA ELSEWHERE. PRECIP CHANCES WITH DRIER PROGS
NOW ONLY AROUND 30 PERCENT FOR THE GRIDS. AS BAND SLIPS
SOUTH...THERMAL GRADIENT ACTUALLY CATCHES UP WITH BACK SIDE OF
PRECIP SHIELD TO YIELD ANOTHER AREA OF MIXED PRECIP FOR EAST
CENTRAL GEORGIA. NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH ANY OF THIS
PRECIP OUTSIDE OF A POSSIBLE QUICK DUSTING IN THE MOUNTAINS.
BY FAR THE BIGGEST THREAT NOW WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE THE STRONG
WINDS IN THE TIGHT GRADIENT ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT. WINDS BY
LATE TUESDAY ON THE 925MB SURFACE SHOW 40 KNOTS ALONG THE WESTERN
TIER AND LATEST ECS GUIDANCE INDICATING 25 SUSTAINED AT THE
SURFACE. WIND ADVISORY LOOKS LIKELY FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND WILL
HIT HARDER IN UPCOMING GRAPHICS AND HWO.
DEESE
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
MAIN FOCUS CONTINUES TO BE WITH INFLUENCE OF ABNORMALLY STRONG
ARCTIC AIRMASS INTO THURSDAY. IMPRESSIVE CANADIAN TROUGH WILL
CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY AND DIG INTO THE DEEP SOUTHEAST TO START OUT THE
LONG TERM. WHILE THE ABNORMALLY STRONG 1040MB+ SFC HIGH TO THE NW
PUSHES A POTENT BACKDOOR COLD FRONT THROUGH THE STATE
TUESDAY...THE FIRST PART OF TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY
STRONG GRADIENT WINDS AND A DIMINISHING CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION
MAINLY IN EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. ENHANCED WINDS OF NEAR
20-25 MPH GUSTING AROUND 30-35 MPH FROM EARLIER TUESDAY WILL LINGER
INTO THE OVERNIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA...EVENTUALLY
DECREASING INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. PROGGED 925MB WINDS ARE QUITE
IMPRESSIVE AT 35-40 KTS AND BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING SHOULD LIKELY
LINGER INTO THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD SO WILL NEED TO CLOSELY MONITOR
THE SFC MAGNITUDE POTENTIAL. A WIND ADVISORY MAY BE WARRANTED FOR
PORTIONS OF THE AREA INTO PART OF TUESDAY NIGHT SO PLEASE CONTINUE
TO MONITOR FUTURE UPDATES TO THE FORECAST AS THIS PERIOD GETS
CLOSER.
COMPARED TO PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS...MOISTURE LOOKS TO BE EVEN MORE
LIMITED EAST OF THE TROUGH AXIS BEHIND THE FRONT AND QUICKER TO EXIT
THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. BUFR SOUNDING TEMP
PROFILES STILL INDICATE A POTENTIAL FOR RAIN TO SNOW
TRANSITION...THOUGH WITH VERY LIMITED QPF...ANY FLAKES THAT CAN
MUSTER OUT OF THE SHALLOW MOISTURE COLUMN WITH STRONG DYNAMICAL
FORCING WILL LIKELY NOT AMOUNT TO MUCH. CONSIDERING THE TIMING OF
THE SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SNOW WITH PROGGED SFC TEMP TRENDS IN THE
EVENING...ONLY A DUSTING IS NOW THOUGHT TO BE POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHER
ELEVATIONS OF NORTH GA. OTHER EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA WILL
STILL HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW...THOUGH LOOKING TO BE
A TRACE AT BEST.
RESULTANT TEMPS FROM THIS ARCTIC BLAST OF COLD AIR LOOK TO REACH THE
UPPER TO MID 20S ACROSS NORTH GA TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE STRONG
CAA/POST FRONTAL AIRMASS. WITH SUCH STRONG AFOREMENTIONED GRADIENT
WINDS...MUCH OF NORTH GA CAN EXPECT WIND CHILL READINGS IN THE
TEENS. ON WEDNESDAY...MUCH OF THE AREA WILL BE STRUGGLING TO GET OUT
OF THE 40S FOR HIGHS AND DIPPING INTO THE MID 20S FOR WEDNESDAY
NIGHT. HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE NORTH COULD FLIRT WITH THE 20 DEGREE
MARK. WEDNESDAY NIGHT LOOKS TO BE THE COLDEST OF THE SEASON AT
NEARLY 15-20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AND VALUES COULD FLIRT WITH
PREVIOUS RECORDS. FREEZE WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE WARRANTED FOR
PORTIONS OF THE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT AND MOST OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY
NIGHT WITH FUTURE UPDATES TO THE FORECAST.
THE ACTIVE PATTERN CONTINUES FOR THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THE
WEEKEND AS THE WEAKENING SFC HIGH SLIDES INTO THE MID ATLANTIC AND
SETS UP A HYBRID CAD EVENT. OVERRUNNING MOISTURE WITH A SOUTH TO
SOUTHWESTERLY FETCH AGAINST THE WEDGE LOOKS TO BE A GOOD BET AS AN
UPPER TROUGH IS PROGGED TO BUILD IN THE CENTRAL CONUS. ISENTROPIC
ANALYSIS ALSO SUPPORTS SLIGHT TO CHANCE POPS FOR SHOWERS NEXT
WEEKEND. SOME DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF ON THE
EXTENT OF THE MOISTURE FIELD AND WAVE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THE UPPER
FLOW ENERGY...SO HAVE NOT PINNED DOWN PARTICULAR AREAS WITH
HIGHER/LOWER CHANCES DUE TO THIS UNCERTAINTY AND WILL ADJUST BASED
ON HOW GUIDANCE TRENDS IN FUTURE RUNS.
BAKER
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
EXPECT MIXING TODAY UP TO AROUND 3K FEET WHICH IS RIGHT AT THE
THRESHOLD FOR ALLOWING SOME REALLY DRY AIR TO MIX DOWN. USING
950MB TO MIX DOWN...YIELDS RH VALUES IN THE LOW TO MID 20S FOR A
LARGE AREA OF EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA. WITH FUELS DRYING OUT...WILL
GO WITH A FIRE DANGER STATEMENT FOR TODAY.
DEESE
&&
.CLIMATE...
RECORDS FOR 11-13
MAX TEMPERATURE MIN TEMPERATURE
STATION HIGH LOW HIGH LOW
------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
KAHN 83 1931 43 1904 61 1985 24 1911
1945
1929
KATL 79 1938 40 1906 66 1879 21 1911
KCSG 80 1993 49 1975 61 1985 28 1968
1963
1950
KMCN 82 1938 47 1911 64 1916 27 1987
1977
RECORDS FOR 11-14
MAX TEMPERATURE MIN TEMPERATURE
STATION HIGH LOW HIGH LOW
------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
KAHN 84 1931 38 1976 62 1961 25 1969
1906
KATL 80 1955 35 1906 65 1879 22 1969
KCSG 82 1978 46 1976 65 1961 27 1963
1969
KMCN 83 1955 44 1911 65 1929 25 1968
&&
.AVIATION...
06Z UPDATE...
LOOKING FOR WINDS TO SWITCH OVER TO THE EAST SIDE IN THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS. OTHERWISE A VFR FORECAST IN STORE FOR THIS CYCLE.
//ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE...
HIGH ON ALL ELEMENTS.
DEESE
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
ATHENS 68 41 64 29 / 0 0 20 20
ATLANTA 67 46 61 29 / 0 0 20 10
BLAIRSVILLE 63 38 51 24 / 0 5 30 20
CARTERSVILLE 66 39 56 27 / 0 5 20 10
COLUMBUS 73 47 70 35 / 0 0 5 10
GAINESVILLE 65 44 60 28 / 0 5 20 10
MACON 68 40 70 35 / 0 0 5 20
ROME 65 40 55 27 / 0 5 10 5
PEACHTREE CITY 68 40 63 28 / 0 0 10 10
VIDALIA 71 48 72 41 / 0 5 5 20
&&
.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&
SHORT TERM...DEESE
LONG TERM....BAKER
AVIATION...DEESEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The National Forest Service reported that a human-caused wildfire labeled Little Amy Creek burned 2.5 acres and resulted in $7000 in damages.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, November 2013
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: 482487.