While it’s rare, if last January’s winter storms proved anything, it’s that snow in Georgia is a possibility. In some parts of the country, it’s even possible on Halloween.
Will that include the Peach State this year? Here’s what we know:
What are the chances of snow in Georgia?
This October, it looks like Georgians will almost definitely not have to worry about snow. We looked at monthly forecasts from AccuWeather across more than a dozen cities (including the biggest metro cities and several northern cities) and found that no one will be reaching freezing, and those that will approach freezing at the end of the month are showing little chances of precipitation. The Weather Channel’s premium monthly forecast showed similar figures.
The most snow-friendly forecast we found was for Oct. 27 in northern areas like Helen and Ellijay where they are looking at temperatures falling to 36-41 degrees, but only up to a 25% chance of precipitation.
However, it’s worth mentioning that the further out the forecast is, the less accurate it is. So, the data for this week is fairly solid, but forecasts further into the future are more subject to change.
Has it ever snowed in Georgia in October?
Similarly, we looked at historical data sourced by NOAA from 15 weather stations across Georgia, including the top metro areas and several northern cities. Most of the stations had data going back 50 years or more, and any snow that was at least 0.1 inches in accumulation was reported.
While there have been cold temperatures and the occasional flurry, especially in the northern reaches of the state, we found no instances of reportable snowfall during the month of October of any year at any of these stations.
What causes snow?
For snow to happen, there must be moisture in the atmosphere and the atmospheric temperature must be at or below freezing, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. This is different from what we feel on the ground. While we generally look for freezing temperatures on the ground, if it’s at or below 41 degrees, snow can still form in the right conditions.
While there’s obviously such a thing as it being too warm for snow, fun fact: It can be too cold to snow as well. Snow occurs at incredibly low temperatures as long as there is some source of moisture and some way to lift or cool the air. Most heavy snowfalls occur when there is relatively warm air near the ground—typically 15 degrees or warmer—since warmer air can hold more water vapor.
What temperature is freezing?
Water freezes at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at[email protected].