S. spread a large area of rain across North Georgia.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 low pressure center moving across the southeastern U.S. spread a large area of rain across North Georgia. Across the far northern Georgia counties, cold and dry air in place in the lower and middle levels of the atmosphere resulted in a period of snow with accumulations ranging from a trace at lower elevations to as much as 3 inches at higher elevations.
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 Mar 3, 12:45 PM EST, 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR AVIATION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1245 PM EST THU MAR 3 2016 .UPDATE...HAVE ADJUSTED THE HIGHS TODAY DOWN SOME ACROSS THE NORTH TO ACCOUNT FOR RAIN AND EAST WINDS. ALSO ADDED A BRIEF PERIOD OF RAIN AND SLEET TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER. 41 PREVIOUS... .UPDATE... HAVE UPDATED FORECAST TO ACCOUNT FOR FASTER MOVEMENT OF RAIN. HAVE BROUGHT IN HIGHER POPS SOONER FOR NORTHWEST GA. 41 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 405 AM EST THU MAR 3 2016/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OFFSHORE EARLY THIS MORNING AS LOW PRESSURE BEGINS TO PUSH EAST ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER INTO THE ARKLAMISS. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THE MODELS ARE FAIRLY SIMILAR WITH THE TRACK OF THE LOW CENTER...WITH THE GFS A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH THAN THE NAM OR ECMWF. HOWEVER...THE NAM IS SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THE ECWMF AND GFS. THE DIFFERENCES IN TRACK AND TIMING COULD IMPACT WHERE/IF ANY THUNDER IS PRESENT AND HOW FAST THE PRECIP WILL TAPER OFF. HAVE TRIED TO TAKE A COMPROMISE...AND USED THE ECMWF...SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF GUIDANCE. MODELS ARE NOT PRODUCING MUCH SURFACE INSTABILITY AT ALL WITH THIS SYSTEM. THUNDER WILL BE MOST LIKELY IN THE VICINITY OF THE LOW TRACK AND SOUTHWARD. CURRENTLY...THIS WOULD BE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWFA BUT COVERAGE SHOULD REMAIN ISOLATED. ACROSS THE NORTH...EVEN THOUGH LAPSE RATES ARE PRETTY STEEP...STILL THINK THAT THUNDER CHANCES REMAIN TOO SMALL TO MENTION AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER...WOULD NOT RULE OUT A RUMBLE OF THUNDER OR TWO. BEFORE THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY MOVES OUT...THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR RAIN TO MIX WITH SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. HOWEVER...IT WILL BE A RACE BETWEEN THE ARRIVAL OF THE COLD AIR ALOFT AND WHEN THE PRECIP WILL EXIT. FOR NOW...PRECIP CHANCES REMAIN LOW ACROSS NORTHEAST GA...AND NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST ON FRIDAY. NLISTEMAA LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE EXTENDED FORECAST STARTS OFF WITH THE EXITING FRONTAL SYSTEM USHERING IN A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE THAT WILL KEEP NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA DRY FOR MOST OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST. THIS RIDGE BECOMES CENTERED OVER THE CAROLINAS SUNDAY AND SLOWLY MOVES OFF SHORE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THIS RIDGE STILL KEEPS A GOOD GRIP ON THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND NOT ALLOWING THE NEXT SYSTEM TO MOVE INTO GA THROUGH DAY 7. THIS RIDGE DOES PUT GA IN MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW SO WE WILL SEE INCREASED CLOUDS COVER DAYS 4-7 BUT NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION. MAY SEE SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM BY DAY 7 SO HAVE PUT IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR WEDNESDAY. 01 && .AVIATION... 18Z UPDATE... PRECIPITATION SPREADING ACROSS THE TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING. ISOLATED THUNDER THIS AFTERNOON BUT BETTER CHANCE THIS EVENING AS THE COLD UPPER LOW MOVES ACROSS THE STATE. MOST THUNDER SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF KATL. CEILINGS LOWERING THROUGH THE EVENING...INTO IFR AFTER MIDNIGHT. WINDS EAST WITH A FEW GUSTS UNTIL AFTER 06Z THEN BECOMING NORTHWEST. GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT AFTER 14Z FRIDAY. //ATL CONFIDENCE...18Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ALL ELEMENTS. 41 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 57 39 60 36 / 70 80 5 0 ATLANTA 56 41 56 38 / 80 80 5 0 BLAIRSVILLE 46 35 51 31 / 80 70 10 0 CARTERSVILLE 52 39 54 33 / 80 70 5 0 COLUMBUS 65 44 61 39 / 70 80 5 0 GAINESVILLE 51 39 55 36 / 70 70 5 0 MACON 66 45 62 37 / 70 80 5 0 ROME 50 39 54 32 / 80 60 5 0 PEACHTREE CITY 58 41 58 33 / 80 80 5 0 VIDALIA 72 49 63 42 / 50 70 5 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...41 AVIATION...41
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1155 AM EST THU MAR 3 2016 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-041200- 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- 1155 AM EST THU MAR 3 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GEORGIA... EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA...NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...NORTHEAST GEORGIA...NORTHWEST GEORGIA...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND BRIEF PERIODS OF SLEET POSSIBLE. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED... BRIEF SLEET IS POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. DISCUSSION... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST TODAY...PUSHING A COLD FRONT ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. THE AREAS OF RAIN WILL COMBINE WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES NEAR THE SURFACE ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA TO PRODUCE VERY BRIEF PERIODS OF SLEET THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. AS THE FRONT PUSHES INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL STAY BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1239 PM EST THU MAR 3 2016 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>024-030-032200- DADE-WALKER-CATOOSA-WHITFIELD-MURRAY-FANNIN-GILMER-UNION-TOWNS- CHATTOOGA-GORDON-PICKENS-DAWSON-LUMPKIN-WHITE-FLOYD-BARTOW- CHEROKEE-FORSYTH-HALL-BANKS-POLK- 1239 PM EST THU MAR 3 2016 ...PERIODS OF SLEET OR SNOW POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON... RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF SLEET OR SNOW AS THEY COMBINE WITH COLD AIR NEAR THE SURFACE...PARTICULARLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA. AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1500 FEET A DUSTING IS POSSIBLE...MAINLY ON ELEVATED SURFACES. OTHERWISE...NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
127 PM EST THU MAR 3 2016
GAZ052-066-031900-
HEARD GA-TROUP GA-
127 PM EST THU MAR 3 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN HEARD AND TROUP COUNTIES
UNTIL 200 PM EST...
AT 126 PM EST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER WELCH...OR NEAR
STROUD...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.
HAZARD...UP TO 40 MPH WIND...PEA SIZED HAIL AND CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.
IMPACT...PEOPLE OUTDOORS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. EXPECT
MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES SHOULD
NOT BE USED UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE
LAGRANGE...HOGANSVILLE...CORINTH...HARRISONVILLE...BIG SPRINGS...
MOUNTVILLE...HILLCREST...WARES CROSSROADS...ABBOTTSFORD...PIEDMONT
HEIGHTS...LOUISE...GLENN AND STATE LINE PARK.
LAT...LON 3329 8496 3328 8496 3328 8495 3326 8495
3322 8494 3322 8487 3297 8487 3297 8520
3321 8525
TIME...MOT...LOC 1826Z 255DEG 50KT 3308 8538The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter storm, 3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
A report was received on social media of 2 inches of snow at the Springer Mountain Shelter on the Appalachian Trail.
A report was received on social media of 2.3 inches of snow on Henderson Mountain. The broadcast media reported 1-2 inches of snow on Oglethorpe Mountain.
Reports were received on social media of around 1 inch of snow on the ground across Dawson County. A report of 3 inches was received from on Mount Oglethorpe.
A report of 2.3 inches of snow was received from the public in the Porter Springs area.
A trained spotter reported 1 inch of snow in the Cleveland area. A COOP observer reported 1.5 inches west of Sautee.
A report of a quarter of an inch of snow was received on social media from the Cumming area.
A report of a half of an inch of snow was received on social media from the Squirrel Creek 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, March 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: 617708, 617709, 617710, 617711, 617712, 617713, 617714.