, a fast moving upper trough and associated surface low brought a round of snow to North Georgia beginning during the late afternoon on the 20th and continuing overnight, before ending as light freezing drizzle during the day on the 21st.
Every event with a place to put it; 24 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.
With very cold air in place across the southeastern U.S., a fast moving upper trough and associated surface low brought a round of snow to North Georgia beginning during the late afternoon on the 20th and continuing overnight, before ending as light freezing drizzle during the day on the 21st.
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 20, 12:35 PM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1235 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015
.UPDATE...
HAVE ALLOWED THE WIND CHILL WARNING TO EXPIRE ACROSS THE NORTH GA
MOUNTAINS. EVERYTHING IS STILL ON TRACK FOR WINTRY PRECIPITATION TO
FALL ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.
&&
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 419 AM EST FRI FEB 20 2015/
SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
FOR THE NEAR TERM...STILL CONCERNS ABOUT DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND
CHILLS THIS MORNING IN THE NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS SO WIND CHILL WARNING
REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGH 12Z. HOWEVER...THAT IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY
THING IN THE SHORT TERM FORECAST THAT CONFIDENCE IS HIGH ON...AS
CONFIDENCE DECREASES SIGNIFICANTLY STARTING THIS AFTERNOON.
SO WHAT WE HAVE...AS EVERYONE IS PROBABLY AWARE BY NOW...ANOMALOUSLY
COLD ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE HAS SETTLED OVER THE OHIO VALLEY AND WILL
CROSS THE APPALACHIANS TODAY...SETTING UP OVER THE CAROLINAS AND
RIDGING DOWN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS IN A HYBRID DAMMING EVENT. OF
COURSE IT IS HYBRID REALLY ONLY IN LOCATION OF THE HIGH BECAUSE
TYPICALLY HYBRID DAMMING IS CHARACTERIZED BY DIABATIC EFFECTS
/PRECIP/ AT ONSET. SHORTWAVE PUSHING THROUGH THE PLAINS TODAY AND
TONIGHT WILL DRAW GULF MOISTURE INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND LOWER
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...SLOWLY SPREADING INTO THE SOUTHEAST LATER
TODAY. SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE INCREDIBLY DRY OUT THERE AND SO AS IS
TYPICAL WITH DAMMING EVENTS WE HAVE COMPETING FACTORS OF INCOMING
MOISTURE VS. LOW-LEVEL DRY AIR VS. TEMPERATURES. 00Z GUIDANCE HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY BACKED OFF ON MOISTURE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA FOR THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHICH IS A BIT OF A CONCERN GIVEN THE WARNING
AND ADVISORY ALREADY IN PLACE. SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS THE
POSSIBILITY OF FLURRIES ANYTIME THIS MORNING ACROSS EXTREME
NORTHWEST GEORGIA /ALREADY SEEING SOME LIGHT SNOW IN NORTHERN
ALABAMA OUT OF THE MID-LEVEL CLOUD DECK DESPITE VERY DRY SURFACE
AIR/...SLOWLY SPREADING ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA THROUGH
MIDDAY. PULLED BACK ON POPS 18Z-00Z TONIGHT AND THUS HAVE DELAYED
THE START TIME OF THE WARNING TO 21Z...AND OF THE ADVISORY TILL 00Z
TONIGHT. EVEN THEN...POPS IN THE ADVISORY AREA ARE VERY VERY LOW AND
CURRENT THINKING IS THAT IMPACTS WILL BE MINIMAL.
PROFILES SUPPORT P-TYPE /WHATEVER REACHES THE GROUND THAT IS/
BEGINNING AS SNOW TODAY AS SOUNDINGS REMAIN BELOW FREEZING AND
SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE VERY SLOW TO WARM. SOMETIME AFTER 00Z THE
WAA KICKS IN A LITTLE STRONGER ABOVE THE COLD DOME AND THE WARM NOSE
STARTS FLIRTING WITH THE FREEZING LINE OR PERHAPS JUST ABOVE...SO
EXPECT SOME MIX OR POSSIBLY CHANGE OVER TO SLEET. BETWEEN 00Z-06Z
EXPECT MAINLY A SLEET/FREEZING RAIN MIX EXCEPT PERHAPS IN NORTHEAST
GEORGIA WHERE PROFILES REMAIN BELOW FREEZING. THESE P-TYPE
TRANSITIONS ARE SUPPORTED BY NAM AND GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS AS WELL AS
03Z SREF P-TYPE PROBS. MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORTWAVE
ACTUALLY LIFTS EVEN FARTHER NORTH BY ABOUT 12Z SATURDAY BUT HAVE
TRIED TO TAKE A COMPROMISE ON POPS BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE
FREEZING SOMETIME LATE SATURDAY MORNING AND P-TYPE BECOMES ALL
LIQUID.
SO WITH THAT...BEST GUESS REMAINS THAT THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF 1
TO MAYBE UP TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW AND/OR SLEET /WORST CASE SCENARIO/
ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA ESPECIALLY THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. A GLAZE OF
ICE CAN BE EXPECTED AS WELL WITH BEST CHANCES IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA.
CANNOT RULE OUT SOME VERY LIGHT SNOW AT ONSET AND A GLAZE OF ICE AS
FAR SOUTH AS ATLANTA TO ATHENS. HOWEVER...CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH
THAT CONFIDENCE IN QPF AND RESULTANT SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS IS VERY
LOW...ESPECIALLY IN THE ADVISORY AREA.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT DESPITE THE INCOMING RAIN...IT LOOKS LIKE
EVERYONE WILL GET ABOVE FREEZING SOMETIME SATURDAY AFTERNOON...WITH
50S IN THE METRO AREA AND EVEN SOME 60S EXTREME SOUTH.
TDP
LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
LATEST MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT WITH A COLD FRONT
PUSHING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ON SUNDAY. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...
EXPECT SHOWERS TO PUSH INTO NW GA BY SATURDAY EVENING... THEN ACROSS
THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE FRONT
SHOULD PUSH SOUTH OF THE AREA SUNDAY EVENING OR EARLY MONDAY
MORNING... WITH RAIN CHANCES GREATLY DIMINISHING FROM NORTH TO
SOUTH BY MONDAY AFTERNOON BEHIND THE FRONT. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE
MAY SPREAD SOME LIGHT RAIN BACK ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT-
TUESDAY... BUT THE MODELS DIVERGE ON TIMING AND LOCATION FOR
THIS... SO HAVE KEPT THE POPS LOW CHANCE FOR NOW. IF THIS
OCCURS... TEMPERATURE PROFILES WOULD SUPPORT POSSIBLY A MIX OF
RAIN OR SNOW ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH GEORGIA MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY
MORNING... BUT ANY ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD QUICKLY MELT BY LATE
TUESDAY MORNING AS TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE UPPER 30S TO LOWER
40S. THE ECMWF SHOWS MAINLY A DRY FORECAST FOR TUESDAY THROUGH
EARLY THURSDAY... WHILE THE GFS SHOWS A GULF LOW TRACKING ACROSS
SOUTH GA ON WEDNESDAY. HAVE INCLUDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN
ACROSS MAINLY CENTRAL GA FOR WEDNESDAY... THEN SPREAD THIS SLIGHT
CHANCE ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GA FOR THURSDAY AS THE ECMWF DOES
SHOW A DISTURBANCE POSSIBLY SPREADING LIGHT RAIN INTO THE AREA BY
THURSDAY AFTERNOON. 39
FIRE WEATHER...
FUEL MOISTURES DROPPED BELOW 8 PERCENT ACROSS A GOOD CHUNK OF
CENTRAL GEORGIA YESTERDAY...AND WITH SUCH DRY AIR IN PLACE...
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE BELOW CRITERIA LEVELS. WILL ISSUE A FIRE
DANGER STATEMENT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA.
TDP
CLIMATE INFORMATION...
RECORDS FOR 02-20...FRIDAY
MAX TEMPERATURE MIN TEMPERATURE
STATION HIGH LOW HIGH LOW
------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
KAHN 78 1986 38 1910 57 1991 18 1958
1928
KATL 78 1986 32 1901 57 1994 16 1934
KCSG 80 1986 48 1959 63 1991 22 1958
KMCN 80 1991 42 1940 61 1961 21 1958
1986 1927
&&
AVIATION...
18Z UPDATE...
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PREDOMINATE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH THIS FORECAST PERIOD. WILL SEE SOME LOCAL TO SCATTERED MVFR
VISIBILITIES AND POSSIBLY CEILINGS ASSOCIATED WITH ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED AREAS OF LIGHT MIXED WINTRY PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE
NORTHWEST THROUGH THE PERIOD. SPREADING EAST ACROSS NORTH NORTH
GEORGIA AFTER 22Z. CENTRAL GEORGIA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN
PRECIPITATION FREE THROUGH THIS FORECAST PERIOD. WINDS ALREADY
BEGINNING TO SHIFT THROUGH EAST TO THE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA...
BUT WILL REMAIN LIGHT...GENERALLY 6KT OR LESS...THROUGH 09Z BEFORE
INCREASING TO 6-10KT AFTER.
//ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE...
LOW ON WINTRY PRECIPITATION CHANCES AND IMPACTS. HIGH ON ALL OTHER
ELEMENTS.
20
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
ATHENS 36 25 49 43 / 10 20 40 50
ATLANTA 37 28 53 47 / 10 20 50 60
BLAIRSVILLE 32 25 41 39 / 30 60 70 80
CARTERSVILLE 36 30 51 45 / 20 30 60 80
COLUMBUS 44 32 61 49 / 5 10 20 40
GAINESVILLE 34 26 45 41 / 20 30 60 70
MACON 42 29 62 49 / 5 5 20 30
ROME 36 30 50 43 / 40 50 70 90
PEACHTREE CITY 39 30 56 48 / 10 20 30 50
VIDALIA 42 29 65 50 / 0 0 10 10
&&
.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 PM EST
SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BANKS...BARTOW...CATOOSA...
CHATTOOGA...CHEROKEE...DADE...DAWSON...FANNIN...FLOYD...
FORSYTH...GILMER...GORDON...HALL...JACKSON...LUMPKIN...MADISON...
MURRAY...PICKENS...TOWNS...UNION...WALKER...WHITE...WHITFIELD.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST
SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BARROW...CARROLL...CLARKE...
COBB...DEKALB...DOUGLAS...GREENE...GWINNETT...HARALSON...
MORGAN...NEWTON...NORTH FULTON...OCONEE...OGLETHORPE...
PAULDING...POLK...ROCKDALE...SOUTH FULTON...TALIAFERRO...
WALTON...WILKES.
&&
SHORT TERM...20
LONG TERM....01
AVIATION...20HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 400 AM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-211200- 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- 400 AM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. AREAS OF SNOW WILL SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST GEORGIA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON... THEN SPREAD ACROSS THE REST OF NORTH GEORGIA FRIDAY EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE OVER TO SLEET AND POSSIBLY FREEZING RAIN LATE TONIGHT... THEN CHANGE OVER TO ALL RAIN BY NOON ON SATURDAY. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND ICE ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH GEORGIA WITH THIS SYSTEM. REFER TO THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY STATEMENTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM. HIGH FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL GEORGIA DUE TO LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY. A FIRE DANGER STATEMENT IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... A WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM COULD LEAVE SOME ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH GEORGIA SATURDAY MORNING. THEN MOSTLY RAIN IS EXPECTED FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY AHEAD AND ALONG A COLD FRONT THAT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. OTHERWISE... NO OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED 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 SNOW... SLEET AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 winter weather, 4 winter storm, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The Chattooga County 911 Center reported two inches of snow across the county.
The Dade County Emergency Manager reported 1.5 inches of snow in the Trenton area as well as 2.5 inches of snow on Lookout Mountain. In addition, around a tenth of an inch of ice accumulation from freezing drizzle was reported on top of the snow early in the morning on the 21st.
The Gilmer County Emergency Manager reported one half to one inch of snow across the county. Several minor traffic accidents were reported due to the slick roads.
The Bartow County Emergency Manager reported a light dusting of snow and sleet, less than a quarter of an inch, across the county. Although the amounts were light, some travel disruptions were noted due to slick roads.
The Catoosa County Emergency Manager reported 1.5 inches of snow in the Ringgold area. Snow covered the roadways across the county resulting in numerous travel disruptions. Around one tenth of an inch of freezing rain fell on top of the snow as the storm was ending early in the day on the 21st, adding to the travel problems across the county.
The Cherokee County Emergency Manager reported a light dusting of snow and a light glaze of ice across the county. Snowfall was less than a quarter of an inch with only a trace of ice accumulation.
The Dawson County Emergency Manager reported between a quarter and a half inch of snow across the county.
The Floyd County Emergency Manager reported one to two inches of snow across the county. A light glaze of ice occurred on top of the snow from freezing drizzle as the storm ended early in the morning on the 21st. A total of 65 accident were reported across the county due to the snow and ice covered roadways.
The Fulton County Emergency Manager reported a dusting of snow in the Roswell area.
A FEMA employee reported a light dusting of snow in the Peachtree Corners area.
The Walker County Emergency Manager reported around a quarter of an inch of freezing rain fell late in the evening on top of an inch of snow received earlier in the evening across Walker County.
The Whitfield County Emergency Manager reported around a half of an inch of snow across the county. A light glaze of ice due to freezing rain fell on top of the snow late in the evening of the 20th.
The Fannin County Emergency Manager reported around one inch of snow fell across the county.
The Forsyth County Emergency Manager reported a dusting of snow and a light glaze of ice from freezing rain across the county. Several traffic accidents were reported due to the slick roads.
The Jackson County Emergency Manager reported a light dusting of snow across the county.
The Lumpkin County Emergency Manager reported between a quarter and a half of an inch of snow across the county. A light glaze of freezing drizzle was reported on top of the snow as the storm was ending early in the morning on the 21st.
The public reported a light dusting of snow in the Marietta area.
A trace of snow fell at the NWS office in Peachtree City.
The Murray County Emergency Manager reported between a quarter and a half of an inch of snow across the county.
The Pickens County Emergency Manager reported between a quarter and a half of an inch of snow across the county. A light glaze of ice due to freezing drizzle fell on top of the snow as the storm was ending early in the morning on the 21st. A few traffic accidents were reported due to the icy roads.
The Union County Emergency Manager reported around 2 inches of snow fell across the county. A few minor traffic accidents were reported as well due to the snow-covered roads.
The White County Emergency Manager reported around a quarter of an inch of snow across the county.
The Clarke County Emergency Manager reported a light dusting of snow on elevated surfaces across the county.
The Towns County Emergency Manager reported around a half of an inch of snow accumulation across the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 2015
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: 565497, 565502, 565509, 565493, 565496, 565499, 565503, 565506, 565508, 565510, 565517, 565519, 565504, 565507, 565511, 565512, 565501, 565505, 565513, 565514, 565516, 565518, 565500, 565515.