Ice Storm — Whitfield, Georgia

2026-01-24 to 2026-01-25 · Whitfield, Georgia

Event narrative

Light rain showers began on the evening of the 24th. Surfaces and air temperatures remained just above freezing for the majority of the county resulting in little to no ice accumulations, a few areas saw brief trace accumulations on elevated surface on the morning of the 25th, however these quickly melted.

Wider weather episode

A complex setup characterized by moisture overrunning an entrenched wedge of cold air at the surface led to freezing rain and sleet beginning across north Georgia late on the night of January 24 and persisting through much of the day on January 25. Widespread ice accretion of one-tenth to one-quarter inch ice occurred with some areas receiving over a half inch of freezing rain accumulation.

Significant tree damage and power outages occurred in the worst-affected areas of northeast Georgia, while spotty tree damage and isolated power outages occurred in other areas. Additionally, a layer of sleet occurred in much of northeast Georgia, leading to hazardous roadways.

The hardest hit areas locally were White County as well as portions of Dawson and Lumpkin counties. The vast majority of the White County lost power with many locations remaining without power for a few days.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1316826. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.