Drought in Georgia, March 1 to 31, 2017

Name: Drought in Georgia, March 1 to 31, 2017
Start: 2017-03-01T00:00
End: 2017-03-31T23:59
Location: Georgia

March 1 to 31, 2017 · NWS FFC · 37 events in 37 counties and zones

Through March there was little in the way of changes to the long term drought that persists across north and central Georgia. Northwest Georgia saw a one category improvement from D3 Extreme to D2 Severe Drought by the end of the month, and low rainfall amounts over central Georgia reintroduced D0 Abnormally Dry conditions across the previously-improved middle Georgia region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 37 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 37

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.

The improvement across north Georgia was attributed to a more active weather pattern through the month, producing 4 to 8 inches of rainfall over the area. These rainfall amounts were generally 100 to 150 percent of normal. Across middle Georgia, paltry rainfall amounts of only 0.5 to 2 inches, or 10 to 50 percent of normal, kept the area so dry that short term drought conditions began after the long term drought conditions were considered over in February.

By the end of March, reservoirs in north and central Georgia were beginning to recover. Lake Allatoona and West Point were nearly 12 feet and 5 feet, respectively, above winter pool levels, and on track to fill to summer pool without issue. The headwaters of the Chattahoochee River upstream of Lake Lanier still suffered from extremely low stream flows, keeping Lake Lanier nearly 9 feet below the winter pool level. Although many climate sites observed an improvement in the 365-day rainfall totals, several locations, including Northeast Atlanta (KPDK), West Atlanta (KFTY), and Gainesville (KGVL) continued to have a rainfall deficit exceeding 19 inches. These sites have only received approximately 60 percent of the normal rainfall over the last 365-days.

The winter and early spring months continued to have generally slow, positive improvement in the drought conditions over the state. The drought conditions peaked in November, with a third of the state in D4 Exceptional Drought, and more than two-thirds of the state in D2 Severe Drought or worse.

What forecasters said that day

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 28, 6:37 PM EST, 5 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 6:37 PM EST, 5 hours 23 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Peachtree City GA
637 PM EST Tue Feb 28 2017

.UPDATE...
Updated for the 00Z Aviation Discussion.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 301 PM EST Tue Feb 28 2017/

SHORT TERM /Tonight through Wednesday Night/...
Short wave crossing the TN/OH valleys today continued to trigger
showers and thunderstorms across the northern counties. This wave
should pull northeast during the evening...keeping the rainfall
north or Atlanta to Athens. The showers should gradually diminish
during the evening...however low pops were included over the north
all night.

The more significant thunderstorms are expected Wednesday afternoon
into Wednesday evening as an upper trough pushes eastward into the
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley through Wednesday night. Strong shear
associated with this trough and increasing dew points ahead of
the front will contribute to possible strong to severe thunderstorms
over much of the forecast area. Damaging winds...large hail...and
a few tornadoes are possible. SPC has included a corner of northwest
GA in an enhanced risk area for Wednesday. The showers and storms
should progress across the forecast area tomorrow afternoon through
tomorrow night. Expecting gusty winds tomorrow...however at this time
it looks like they may stay below advisory criteria.

41

LONG TERM /Thursday through Tuesday/...
No major changes made to the extended forecast. The storm system
in the short term exits the area at the beginning of the extended
forecast with high pressure building in right behind it. A dry
forecast is in store through Monday when moisture return could
lead to some light rain across north and portions of central GA
through Tuesday.

Temperatures will be in the process of cooling with the cold front
passage Wednesday night and will be most noticed on Thursday with
high temperatures forecast near seasonal norms. The coolest
morning looks to be Saturday morning with forecast lows about 7-8
degrees below normal then warming through the weekend.

01

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z Update...
A mix of VFR and MVFR cigs around the forecast area will become
IFR toward 06Z across ATL/CSG...and shortly afterwards in the
AHN/MCN areas. IFR cigs will lift through the morning hours
Wednesday...becoming VFR by afternoon. The risk of shra and tsra
spreads into ATL/AHN late in the afternoon Wednesday. Winds will
be southwest through the forecast...becoming gusty Wednesday
afternoon.

//ATL Confidence...00Z Update...
Low to medium on cigs this evening.
Medium on cigs for the remainder of the forecast.
High on remaining elements.

17

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Athens          59  76  44  63 /  20  60  80   5
Atlanta         61  75  43  60 /  20  80  80   5
Blairsville     55  69  35  54 /  60  80  70   5
Cartersville    59  74  41  59 /  40  80  70   5
Columbus        61  79  48  63 /  10  30  80   5
Gainesville     59  71  42  59 /  30  80  80   5
Macon           59  80  50  64 /  10  20  70  10
Rome            58  74  40  59 /  60  90  60   5
Peachtree City  58  76  43  61 /  10  60  80   5
Vidalia         63  84  57  67 /  10  20  60  20

&&

.FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...17
LONG TERM....SNELSON
AVIATION...17

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

37 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Whitfield

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Whitfield forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.806, -84.967 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, White

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: White forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.646, -83.747 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Walton

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Walton forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.782, -83.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Walker

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Walker forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.736, -85.301 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Union

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.834, -83.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Towns

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Towns forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.917, -83.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Polk

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.002, -85.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Pickens

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Pickens forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.464, -84.466 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Paulding

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Paulding forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.921, -84.867 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Oglethorpe

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Oglethorpe forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.881, -83.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Oconee

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Oconee forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.835, -83.437 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, North Fulton

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: North Fulton forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.790, -84.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Murray

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Murray forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.788, -84.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Madison

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.128, -83.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lumpkin

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Lumpkin forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.572, -84.003 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jackson

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.134, -83.566 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Haralson

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Haralson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.794, -85.211 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hall

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.317, -83.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gwinnett

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Gwinnett forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.962, -84.024 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gordon

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Gordon forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.503, -84.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gilmer

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Gilmer forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.691, -84.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Forsyth

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Forsyth forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.226, -84.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Floyd

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Floyd forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.263, -85.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Fannin

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Fannin forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.864, -84.320 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Douglas

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.702, -84.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, De Kalb

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: De Kalb forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.772, -84.226 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dawson

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.444, -84.171 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dade

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Dade forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.855, -85.504 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cobb

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cobb forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.942, -84.577 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Clarke

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Clarke forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.951, -83.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cherokee

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Cherokee forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.244, -84.476 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Chattooga

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Chattooga forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.475, -85.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Catoosa

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Catoosa forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.904, -85.138 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Carroll

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.583, -85.080 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Bartow

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Bartow forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.238, -84.840 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Barrow

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Barrow forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 33.993, -83.713 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Banks

When: March 1, 12:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Banks forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 34.354, -83.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Georgia in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Georgia, March 2017

Sources

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: 690326, 690327, 690328, 690329, 690330, 690331, 690333, 690335, 690336, 690337, 690338, 690339, 690340, 690341, 690342, 690343, 690344, 690345, 690346, 690347, 690348, 690349, 690350, 690351, 690352, 690353, 690354, 690355, 690358, 690359, 690360, 690361, 690362, 690363, 690364, 690365, 690368.