Rainy conditions over Georgia improved the ongoing Short-Term Drought over portions of Georgia through December. By the end of November, D4 Exceptional Drought had been eliminated, with persistent D2 Severe to D3 Extreme drought over north Georgia.
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.
Rainy conditions over Georgia improved the ongoing Short-Term Drought over portions of Georgia through December. By the end of November, D4 Exceptional Drought had been eliminated, with persistent D2 Severe to D3 Extreme drought over north Georgia. Statistically speaking, at the start of December, 19.9 percent of the state was in D2 Severe Drought or worse, with 8.7 percent being D3 Extreme Drought or worse. At the peak of the drought, as shown in the Drought Monitor map on November 21, 2023, 24.7 percent of the state was in D2 Severe Drought or worse, with 9.7 percent being D3 Extreme Drought or worse. Drought only expanded to include one additional county in the month of December: Carroll county.
In total, December's rainfall generally ranged from 2 to 9 inches. Over nearly two thirds of the area, accumulations were 2 to 4 inches (40 to 90 percent of normal), with the lowest amounts near Columbus, Roberta and Eatonton closer to 1.5 inches (35 percent of normal). Over north and east central Georgia, amounts were higher, with accumulations of 5 to 9 inches (100 to 200 percent of normal). The highest totals over the northeast Georgia mountains were 11 inches (200 percent of normal). In general, these rainfall amounts fell during only 2-3 impactful weather events during the month.
In the December 28 Drought Information Statement issued by the NWS Atlanta office, 30-day rainfall totals were included for some of the driest climate record locations: Rome (RMG) reported 3.91 inches (80% of normal), Atlanta (ATL) reported 3.43 inches (77 percent of normal), Peachtree City (FFC) reported 2.88 inches (66 percent of normal), and Columbus (CSG) reported 1.86 inches (40 percent of normal). The 30-day totals for other locations exemplified the improving drought conditions over the state: Gainesville (GVL) reported 6.65 inches (147 percent of normal), Athens (AHN) reported 4.34 inches (103 percent of normal), and Peachtree-DeKalb (PDK) reported 4.10 inches (97 percent of normal).
By the end of December, soil moisture normal to above normal for the southeastern three-quarters of the state, with just northwest Georgia slow to show improvement. The National Drought Mitigation Center's Condition Monitoring Observer Reports from farmers reported improvements with the higher rainfall amounts but still reported fair pasture conditions. Farmers reported supplemental feeding was required for cattle and livestock, though some green up of fields had occurred in the warming beginning of the month. Additionally, through the month there were reports of delayed harvesting or planting of seasonal crops and heavy degree of loss with crop yield, or complete or near crop failure. Some farmers reported having to reduce their livestock herd due to the lack of sufficient food supply. Although collaborative efforts between NWS Atlanta office and local fire officials remained enhanced, many north Georgia localities opted to lift burn bans with the improved drought conditions.
The drought improved in January.
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 Dec 18, 9:50 PM EST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 950 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 ...Late Evening Update... .UPDATE... Issued at 946 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 Made some minor updates to the overnight temperatures given we are running a bit warmer than forecast likely thanks to our gusty winds keeping the boundary layer well mixed. This did not substantially change the overnight lows, just slowed how quicly they fall off. Winds should be subsiding a bit before sunrise, which will open up a brief window for some nocturnal boundary layer development and rapid cooling. Otherwise forecast on track. A few impressive gusts this evening, incluidng a 40 mph at Atlanta, 38 mph in Gainesville, and 37 mph at Athens. Lusk && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Tuesday) Issued at 245 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 Georgia is largely in store for a benign week following the impact of two separate low pressure systems. The weekend low that brought the area rain is now a thing of the past, long gone up the east coast today. A secondary low moving through the Great Lakes region has put Georgia at the base of the trough as it swings through this afternoon and evening. This trough will reinforce the dry northwesterly flow over the area, while also keeping the pressure gradient tight enough to produce gusty winds overnight and into early Tuesday. At this time, still expect sub-Wind Advisory gusts, except maybe brief 35-40mph at elevations about 2500 feet. Dry conditions will continue through the short term. Models are known to struggle with the dew points under strong northwest flow, so have continued with the previous trend of siding with the lower end of guidance. Under the dry conditions, temperatures will tank, with lows Tuesday and Wednesday morning in the 20s and highs only warming into the mid 40s by the afternoon. Frost is unlikely Tuesday with the winds and low dew points, but may be patchy Wednesday morning. 31 && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday morning through next Sunday) Issued at 245 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 Surface high pressure will be anchored across the Southeast to start the long-term period with dry conditions persisting through the end of the week. Meanwhile, broad ridging aloft will bring gradually warming conditions from below normal temperatures to start the period to near to above normal temperatures by the weekend. Widespread freezing temperatures are again expected Wednesday night into Thursday morning. By Thursday night into Friday morning, some locations will begin to see lows back above freezing, though at least a light freeze is expected for many areas. Otherwise, given the dry airmass lingering in place the only other forecast concern of note will be the potential for additional fire weather concerns both Wednesday and Thursday afternoons as minimum RH values could approach the 25 percent threshold. The next opportunity for rainfall looks to hold off until late in the weekend headed into the Christmas holiday. At this point, continued to indicate gradually increasing PoPs from Christmas Eve into Christmas Day. RW && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 636 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 VFR through TAF period. SKC through TAF period for most sites, some high cirrus possible after 00Z tomorrow. Wind is biggest impact. Current winds are 10-15 kts at most sites with gusts of 20 or above. Should see winds gradually decrease in strength through overnight, approaching 8-12 kts by morning, then continue to decrease at most sites through afternoon tomorrow. Direction will remain NW at ATL sites, though could see some NE winds begin to creep in through evening. //ATL Confidence...00Z Update... High all elements. Lusk && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 26 47 24 51 / 0 0 0 0 Atlanta 27 45 27 50 / 0 0 0 0 Blairsville 19 42 22 51 / 0 0 0 0 Cartersville 23 45 22 52 / 0 0 0 0 Columbus 29 50 29 53 / 0 0 0 0 Gainesville 26 46 27 50 / 0 0 0 0 Macon 29 49 26 52 / 0 0 0 0 Rome 24 46 23 53 / 0 0 0 0 Peachtree City 25 47 23 51 / 0 0 0 0 Vidalia 31 48 29 52 / 0 0 0 0 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...31 LONG TERM....RW AVIATION...Lusk
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 438 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-192145- 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- 438 PM EST Mon Dec 18 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North and Central Georgia. .DAY ONE...Tonight... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday... Low relative humidity values and the ongoing drought could combine to produce near critical fire weather conditions across portions of North Georgia Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
According to the Drought Monitor issued on December 19, 2023, D2 Severe Drought conditions expanded into Carroll county. Although late-December rainfall offered slight relief, it was not enough to end drought conditions until January 2024.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, December 2023
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: 1164446.