Persistent dry conditions exacerbated the short-term drought conditions over Georgia through November. By the end of October, D3 Extreme Drought had developed over northwest Georgia, and by early November, this area had worsened to D4 Exceptional Drought and expanded into the neighboring counties.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
Persistent dry conditions exacerbated the short-term drought conditions over Georgia through November. By the end of October, D3 Extreme Drought had developed over northwest Georgia, and by early November, this area had worsened to D4 Exceptional Drought and expanded into the neighboring counties. Statistically speaking, at the start of November, 11.4 percent of the state was in D2 Severe Drought or worse, with 4.6 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.
In total, November yielded 0.75 to 4 inches of rain of rain over the state. North of Interstate 20, rainfall amounts were generally 0.75 to 1.75 inches (15 to 40 percent of normal) except over Dade and Walker counties, which accumulated 3.5 to 4 inches (or 55 to 65 percent of normal). South of this area, rainfall amounts were 2 to 4 inches, or 40 to 90 percent of normal. In general, these rainfall amounts fell during only 2-3 impactful weather events during the month.
In the November 30 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 1.57 inches (38% of normal), Atlanta (ATL) reported 2.01 inches (50 percent of normal), Gainesville (GVL) reported 0.92 inches (22 percent of normal), Athens (AHN) reported 1.60 inches (43 percent of normal), and Peachtree-DeKalb (PDK) reported 1.16 inches (28 percent of normal).
Through November, soil moisture was below normal and the National Drought Mitigation Center's Condition Monitoring Observer Reports from farmers reported small improvements with the end-of-the-month rainfall but continuing fair pasture conditions. Farmers reported supplemental feeding was required for cattle and livestock. 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. A new concern for seed germination was reported due to the combined dry conditions and cooler temperatures. The NWS Atlanta office also received an increased number of requests for weather information for wildfires. Many north Georgia localities introduced burn bans and increased education outreach efforts.
The drought conditions peaked November 21, with improvements by month's end tied to new, significant rainfall amounts (included in the totals above). The drought continued to see some improvement in December.
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 Nov 13, 9:34 PM EST, 2 hours 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 934 PM EST Mon Nov 13 2023 ...Evening Update... .UPDATE... Issued at 931 PM EST Mon Nov 13 2023 Forecast remains on track for tonight. Expect dry and overcast conditions to continue, with lows in the upper-30s to 40s areawide. 96 && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Tuesday) Issued at 146 PM EST Mon Nov 13 2023 Today has brought generally quiet weather with mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions and temperatures near normal for mid- November. The bulk of the cloud cover has remained situated along the Gulf Coast as a southern stream upper low induces the development of a surface low off the Texas/Louisiana coastline. Meanwhile, surface high pressure centered over the Midwest this afternoon will continue to migrate eastward into the Mid Atlantic by Tuesday morning. The coastal low will slowly push eastward along the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday. The bulk of precipitation will remain relegated well south of the CWA through the day, though mid/high level clouds will stream overhead with considerably more cloud cover as compared to today. Easterly winds will also be breezier on Tuesday as the surface high builds into the Mid Atlantic and drier air "wedges" into the area from the northeast. Showers will thus be slow to increase into the CWA given the encroaching dry air providing a moisture gradient from southwest to northeast. However, some isentropic light rain showers will begin to increase into the southwest portions of the area Tuesday night and spread gradually further northward by the end of the period Wednesday morning. RW && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday morning through next Monday) Issued at 146 PM EST Mon Nov 13 2023 BLUF: A couple rounds light to moderate rain are expected Wednesday through Friday and a small chance for strong storms early next week. Otherwise, no major forecast concerns or significant weather impacts expected in the short term period. Overall pattern at the start of the long term pattern (Wednesday) characterized by split flow and moderately active southern branch over the northern Gulf of Mexico. This is the first time that I've seen this classic cool-season pattern develop so far this Fall and is quite common during El Nino winters. Upper wave over southern TX with associated moderately strong sfc low expected to move into the northcentral Gulf coast with widespread clouds and rain extending NE into NE Georgia. Dry, cool air associated with sfc high pressure over the mid-Atlantic states and strong pressure gradient from developing sfc low along the Gulf coast will limit how far N and NE the precip shield will cover. Unfortunately, appears very little rain is expected for this event over far N and NW GA where rainfall is most needed. Upper wave slows down Thurs with upper ridging in the northern branch over the NE CONUS and increasing SW flow developing over the northern/central Plains and Midwest, ending up over the FL panhandle. Greatest coverage of rain should be south and east parts of GA. Upper trough over the northern Plains and midwest eventually kicks out Gulf upper low Friday, but not before sfc low forms off the N FL and SC coasts. GFS, in particular, develops strong sfc low with sub-1000mb MSL pressure tho appears to be more extratropical than tropical. This sfc low will likely impact area by reducing the amount of moisture in advance of front associated with Midwest upper low to move through late Fri night. Dry, mild weather expected over the weekend and Monday before next, potentially strong wave diving into south TX lifts out into the SE states Tuesday-ish. May need to watch this time frame for potential strong to severe storms. Finally, NHC is indicating an 70% chance of tropical development late this week in the SW Caribbean Sea. If the system does get named, the name you're looking for is Vince. SNELSON && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 641 PM EST Mon Nov 13 2023 VFR conds to continue with primarily BKN-OVC cigs at 20-25kft. Winds will be CALM to VRB overnight before picking back up out of the E/NE at 7-14kts by 12Z. Cannot rule out low-end gusts to 20kts tomorrow afternoon. //ATL Confidence...00Z Update... High confidence all elements. 96 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Athens 43 64 45 57 / 0 0 10 30 Atlanta 49 63 49 55 / 0 0 20 50 Blairsville 38 63 42 55 / 0 0 10 20 Cartersville 42 66 47 58 / 0 0 20 30 Columbus 51 65 49 58 / 0 20 40 70 Gainesville 46 63 47 56 / 0 0 10 30 Macon 46 65 48 57 / 0 10 20 60 Rome 43 69 46 59 / 0 0 20 30 Peachtree City 44 63 46 54 / 0 10 30 50 Vidalia 50 67 52 63 / 0 0 20 50 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...RW LONG TERM....SNELSON AVIATION...96
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Peachtree City GA 944 PM EST Mon Nov 13 2023 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-150245- 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- 944 PM EST Mon Nov 13 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... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
According to the Drought Monitor, short-term drought conditions began over Forsyth county on November 14, 2023 and continued through the end of the month.
According to the Drought Monitor, short-term drought conditions began over Hall county on November 14, 2023 and continued through the end of the month.
According to the Drought Monitor, short-term D2 Severe Drought conditions began over Barrow county on November 14, 2023 and continued through the end of the month.
According to the Drought Monitor, short-term D2 Severe Drought conditions began over Oconee county on November 14, 2023 and continued through the end of the month.
According to the Drought Monitor, short-term D2 Severe Drought conditions began over Wilkes county on November 14, 2023 and continued through the end of the month.
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, November 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: 1144613, 1144614, 1144615, 1144616, 1144617.