A surface low swept across the region overrunning cold air in place across north Georgia bringing a mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow to portions of far north Georgia.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 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 surface low swept across the region overrunning cold air in place across north Georgia bringing a mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow to portions of far north Georgia.
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 20, 2:31 AM EST, 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 231 AM EST WED JAN 20 2016 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 952 PM EST TUE JAN 19 2016/ UPDATE... HOURLY TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT TRENDS ARE A BIT OUT OF LINE WITH PREVIOUS FORECAST TRENDS. TEMPERATURES NOT FALLING QUITE AS FAST AND DEW POINTS ARE INCREASING A BIT QUICKER. THAT BEING SAID... TEMPERATURES ARE STILL FALLING BELOW FREEZING ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA AND DEW POINTS ARE STILL IN THE HIGH SINGLE DIGITS TO LOW TEENS SO WINTRY MIX TOMORROW ACROSS THE NORTH STILL LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK AND NO CHANGES ARE PLANNED TO THE ADVISORY OR WARNING AT THIS TIME. I HAVE ADJUSTED THE HOURLY TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND THE OVERNIGHT LOWS A BIT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST GRIDS LOOK GOOD AND NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE. 20 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 645 PM EST TUE JAN 19 2016/ GROWING CONFIDENCE IN IMPACTFUL ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA WEDNESDAY SO HAVE UPGRADED WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TO WINTER STORM WARNING AND EXPANDED ADVISORY SLIGHTLY FARTHER SOUTH... SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... VERY TRICKY FORECAST ON TAP AS UPPER DISTURBANCE AND ASSOCIATED MOISTURE ENHANCEMENT/FORCING WILL INTERACT WITH AN ABNORMALLY COLD/DRY LOW LEVEL LAYER BRINGING A MIXED P-TYPE CONCERN FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH GA. PROGGED WARM NOSE IN THERMAL PROFILES IS MAINLY POINTING AT AN ONSET SNOW AFTER 12-15Z WED. SWITCHING TO A FREEZING RAIN/SLEET SITUATION NW THEN TRANSITION TO SNOW IN THE NE MOUNTAINS FOR THE AFTERNOON. OVERALL LOOKS TO BE A HIGH CONFIDENCE LOW QPF EVENT GIVEN THE LIGHT VALUES /MAINLY QUARTER INCH LIQUID EQUIV/ INTERACTING WITH INITIAL TEMPS IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S AND DEWPOINTS NEAR THE MID TEENS GIVEN THE LINGERING SFC RIDGE IMPACT. TIMING OF THE OVERNIGHT CLOUDS MAY PROVIDE SOME IN-SITU REINFORCEMENT TO THE LOW LEVEL INVERSION DESPITE A WEAKENING RIDGE...TO ADD TO THE SENSITIVITY. COULD SEE UP TO 0.2 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION AND UP TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW SO HAVE UPGRADED THE PREVIOUS WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AREA TO A WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 12Z WED TO 06Z THU AND EXPANDED THE ADVISORY A TIER SOUTHWARD THOUGH SHOULD MAINLY KEEP IMPACTS NORTH OF THE ATLANTA METRO AREA. NONETHELESS STILL NEED TO KEEP WATCHFUL EYE ON THERMO TRENDS AND WETBULBING TEMPS FOR EVAP COOLING EFFECTS DEVIATING FROM FCST. SOME TEMPS SHOULD REBOUND TO ABOVE FREEZING FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THOUGH THE NE HIGHER ELEVATIONS COULD HAVE SOME LINGERING NEAR FREEZING TEMPS AND WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR ANY BLACK ICE OR CONTINUED FROZEN PRECIP CONCERNS. BAKER LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... STILL LOOKS LIKE A BUSY LONG TERM PERIOD WITH SEVERAL STORM SYSTEMS COMING THROUGH AND THE CONTINUED THREAT OF WINTER WEATHER. FOR THURSDAY...STRONG SHORTWAVE EJECTS OUT OF THE PLAINS STATES INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WITH A SURFACE REFLECTION IN THE FORM OF A 1007MB LOW MOVING OUT OF THE GULF COAST. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE PUMPING OUT OF THE GULF COMBINED WITH GOOD DIFFLUENT SIGNATURE ALOFT WILL RESULT IN CATEGORICAL POPS NORTH OF A WARM FRONT ROUGHLY ALONG THE I 20 CORRIDOR. THIS WILL TRANSITION TO A NORTH SOUTH LINE AND AFFECT THE ENTIRE REGION WITH CATEGORICAL POPS BY THU EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD AS PREFRONTAL TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. GFS CONTINUES TO FASTER THAN THE NAM WITH THE PROGRESSION OF THIS SYSTEM AND GIVEN THE STRENGTH AND DYNAMICS HAVE FAVORED THE GFS TIMING AT THIS POINT. INSTABILITY WILL BE WEAK BUT IT IS PRESENT BY 12Z FRIDAY AND PERSISTS THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. HAVE ADDED THUNDER TO THE GRIDS FOR ROUGHLY THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. A VERY STRONG UPPER LOW IS THE NEXT THING TO IMPACT THE AREA AS WRAP AROUND ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE LOW LOOKS TO BRING PREDOMINANTLY SNOW TO NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA WITH A MIX FURTHER SOUTH. THE BIG QUESTION WILL BE QPF AMOUNTS WHICH FOR THIS SYSTEM LOOK TO BE LIGHT. HIGHEST AMOUNTS ARE OVER THE NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS WHERE CLOSE TO A TENTH OF AN INCH IS PRESENT. GIVEN THE LIKELY SNOW RATIOS FOR THAT TIMEFRAME...WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT ADVISORY CRITERIA ONCE AGAIN FOR NE SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. LOOKING AT OUR FINAL SYSTEM EARLY NEXT WEEK AND ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD BE SAFE AS FAR AS WINTER WEATHER IS CONCERNED...INCREASED MOISTURE AND RESULTANT QPF VALUES COULD LEAD TO SOME FLOODING CONCERNS DEPENDING ON WHERE THE HEAVY RAIN AXIS SETS UP. DEESE && .AVIATION... 06Z UPDATE... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD THROUGH 00-02Z AT TAF SITES...WITH MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS ACROSS FAR NORTH GEORGIA. PRECIP EXPECTED IN THE METRO AREA BY 17-18Z AND TO CONTINUE THROUGH 00-06Z...AND IN THE ATHENS AREA BY 18-19Z. WINTRY PRECIP CHANCES ARE TOO LOW TO INCLUDE AT THIS TIME...SO HAVE STUCK WITH MENTIONING JUST -RA. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHEAST BY MID MORNING. SPEEDS GENERALLY 6KT OR LESS. -DZ WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD...WITH MVFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING BY 06Z. //ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE... MEDIUM ON PRECIPITATION TIMING. HIGH CONFIDENCE ON ALL OTHER ELEMENTS. 31 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 43 35 46 39 / 30 30 60 70 ATLANTA 45 39 49 42 / 40 40 60 90 BLAIRSVILLE 36 32 44 37 / 80 40 80 90 CARTERSVILLE 41 35 46 41 / 60 40 80 100 COLUMBUS 52 45 59 50 / 20 30 30 90 GAINESVILLE 39 35 43 38 / 50 40 80 80 MACON 51 42 57 47 / 10 20 30 60 ROME 40 35 47 42 / 70 40 80 90 PEACHTREE CITY 47 39 51 43 / 30 30 50 90 VIDALIA 54 42 63 49 / 5 5 10 60 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: CATOOSA...CHATTOOGA...DADE...DAWSON... FANNIN...GILMER...GORDON...LUMPKIN...MURRAY...PICKENS...TOWNS... UNION...WALKER...WHITE...WHITFIELD. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BANKS...BARTOW...CHEROKEE... FLOYD...FORSYTH...HALL. && SHORT TERM...31 LONG TERM....41 AVIATION...31
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 330 PM EST TUE JAN 19 2016 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-202030- 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- 330 PM EST TUE JAN 19 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING...HOWEVER...FAR NORTHWEST GEORGIA COULD SEE SOME MIXED WINTRY PRECIPITATION BEGINNING AS EARLY AS SUNRISE. ADDITIONAL DETAILS REGARDING WINTRY PRECIPITATION IN PARTS OF NORTH GEORGIA CAN BE FOUND IN BOTH THE WINTER STORM WARNING AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY BEGINNING WEDNESDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... AN ACCUMULATING MIX OF SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS FORECAST ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH GEORGIA WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FOR THIS REASON...A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM SUMMERVILLE...TO DAWSONVILLE...TO HELEN. ADDITIONALLY...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR COUNTIES ALONG A LINE FROM ROME...TO CANTON...TO HOMER FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR LIGHTER ACCUMULATIONS OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION IN THESE LOCATIONS. A WINTRY MIX IS EXPECTED AGAIN FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT AS A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST STATES. NORTHERN GEORGIA AND PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA HAVE THE BEST CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATING WINTER PRECIPITATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 300 AM EST WED JAN 20 2016 GAZ025-027-030>035-045-202015- JACKSON-MADISON-POLK-PAULDING-COBB-NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT-BARROW- DEKALB- 300 AM EST WED JAN 20 2016 AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TODAY BRINGING THE THREAT OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION TO PORTIONS JUST NORTH OF THE I20 CORRIDOR. CURRENTLY...WE ARE EXPECTING MAINLY A COLD RAIN EVENT ACROSS THIS AREA WHICH WOULD LIMIT IMPACTS SIGNIFICANTLY. HOWEVER...TEMPERATURES WILL BE HOVERING AT JUST ABOVE FREEZING...ESPECIALLY DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS AND IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH OF A DROP AT ALL FOR THE LIMITED IMPACTS TO BECOME MORE SIGNIFICANT. REGARDLESS OF THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURES...LIGHT SNOW OR SLEET COULD MIX IN WITH THE PREDOMINANT RAIN AT TIMES. BUT SHOULD THE TEMPERATURES TREND EVEN SLIGHTLY COLDER THAN FORECAST THEN WE COULD SEE SLICK SPOTS DEVELOP ON ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. THERE IS STILL MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST BASED ON THE BORDERLINE TEMPERATURES SO RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR FOR UPDATES ISSUED FROM THIS OFFICE OR THROUGH LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 winter weather, 3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The Dade County Emergency Manager reported .13 inches of freezing rain on Lookout Mountain. A social media report of .05 inches of freezing rain was received from Trenton.
A CoCoRaHS observer reported a mixture of sleet and freezing rain in Rossville. Only a trace amount of sleet was reported, but around .10 inches of freezing rain was noted.
The public reported trace amounts of freezing rain in the Lakeview area and around Foster Hills.
The Chattooga County Emergency Manager reported trace amounts of freezing rain in the Summerville area.
The public reported that a half inch of sleet had accumulated in the Chatsworth area by 1:00 PM EST.
The Gordon County Emergency Manager reported up to a half of an inch of sleet had accumulated in areas across the county by 1:30 PM EST. There were also reports from the public of up to a tenth of an inch of ice accumulation on trees and elevated surfaces from earlier freezing rain. A few automobile accidents were also attributed to icy roads across the county.
A report of a trace of snow was received on social media from Blue Ridge.
A trained spotter in Ellijay reported a quarter of an inch of snow.
The Union County Emergency Manager reported a half of an inch to one inch of snow in the Blairsville area.
A report was received on social media of trace amounts of freezing rain in the Armuchee area.
The Pickens County Emergency Manager reported up to an inch of sleet accumulated on Burnt Mountain and Henderson Mountain.
The Towns County Emergency Manager reported a half of an inch to one inch of snow in the Hiawassee area.
The Lumpkin County Emergency Manager reported an inch of snow in the Dahlonega area. The Dahlonega Police Department also reported trace amounts of freezing rain and sleet.
The COOP observer northeast of Dallas reported a trace of snow.
The public reported around .10 inches of freezing rain in the Dawsonville area.
A report was received on social media of .10 inches of freezing rain near Harmony. The Cherokee County Emergency Manager reported trace amounts of sleet in the Holly Springs, Burris Crossroads and Waleska areas.
The White County Sheriff's Office and a COOP observer each reported a half of an inch of snow in the Sautee area. The Sheriff's Office also reported a trace of snow in Cleveland.
The Banks County Emergency Manager reported trace amounts of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the county.
A report of .10 inches of sleet was received from the public in Cumming. The Forsyth County Emergency Manager reported a trace of sleet in the Coal Mountain area.
An amateur radio operator reported trace amounts of freezing rain in Norcross.
The public reported a half of an inch of snow in the Gainesville area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, January 2016
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: 613677, 613678, 613679, 613680, 612037, 612038, 613671, 613672, 613673, 613684, 613670, 613674, 613675, 613688, 613681, 613682, 613676, 613683, 613687, 613685, 613686.