Heavy Snow — South Fulton, Georgia

2011-01-09 to 2011-01-12 · South Fulton, Georgia

Event narrative

The Fulton County 911 Center reported 3.0 to 3.5 inches of snow across the southern part of the county from the airport southward to Union City.

Wider weather episode

One of the most significant winter storms to affect north and central Georgia in years, but especially north Georgia, began the evening of January 9th and continued throughout much of the following work week. Snowfall of four to seven inches was common across most of north Georgia north of Interstate-20. From Interstate-20 southward to about 50 miles, snow and sleet accumulations were mostly in the one to two inch range, but mostly freezing rain and some sleet southward for the remainder of central Georgia. For central Georgia, the impact of the event was confined mainly to the 9th and 10th, but north Georgia, north of interstate 20, and especially areas north and northwest of Atlanta, extensive snow and ice lingered throughout the work week. The snow and sleet accumulations were compounded by an extended period of light freezing drizzle into the 11th and nearly a week long period of temperatures remaining at or below freezing.

The significant winter storm was the result of a strong upper disturbance and strong warm advection aloft riding over a residual Arctic air mass that encompassed much of the central and eastern U.S. during this period. The air mass that set the stage for the beginning of the event was located over the northeast U.S. early on the 9th. Temperatures across north and central Georgia early on the 9th were in the teens, with single digits in the northeast mountains. Additional reinforcements of Arctic air were noted during the mid part of the week.

The extensive snow and ice accumulations resulted in significant disruptions to travel and daily activities in the area. Major interstates, roads, and highways were a meer quagmire for two to three days as cars and trucks were unable to navigate hilly sections of the roads covered with a solid sheet of ice covered snow pack. Many roads remained like skating rinks throughout the week. Most schools and many businesses in north Georgia counties were closed throughout the week. Significant disruptions to travel at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport were observed, compounded by simultaneous major winter storms in the northeast U.S. The area was simply unable and unequipped to handle such a major and long lasting winter weather event. Although the majority of winter precipitation fell during the first 12 hours of the event, the duration of below freezing temperatures resulted in an unprecedented impact on the area.

While the event across central Georgia was of significantly less duration becuase of warmer temperatures, significant ice accumulations caused numerous power outages and some downed trees, especially in Johnson, Crisp, and Emanuel counties. Schools were closed even up to two days in many central Georgia counties.

Below are the snow, sleet, and ice accumulations observed in north and central Georgia counties within the Peachtree City, Georgia forecast area.

Baldwin county - 1.0 inch of sleet, 0.20 inch of ice accumulation;

Banks county - 6.0 inches of snow, 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Barrow county - 6.5 to 7.5 inches of snow, 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Bartow county - 6.0 inches of snow, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Bibb county - 0.5 inch of ice accumulation;

Bleckley county - 1.0 inch of sleet, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Butts county - 0.50 inch of sleet, 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Carroll county - 4.1 inches of snow, 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Catoosa county - 6.0 to 7.0 inches of snow;

Chattooga county - 7.0 inches of snow, 1.0 inch of sleet, with an isolated report of 11 inches of snow near Summerville;

Cherokee county - 4.8 inches of snow southeast part of the county to 6.0 inches in the north part;

Clarke county - 5.0 to 6.2 inches of snow, 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;

Clayton county - 4.0 inches of snow, 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;

Cobb county - 4.8 to 5.0 inches of snow;

Coweta county - 2.5 inches of snow, 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;

Crawford county - 0.75 inch of sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Crisp county - 0.5 inch of ice accumulation;

Dade county - 7.5 inches of snow;

Dawson county - 4.8 inches of snow;

DeKalb county - 4.0 to 4.5 inches of snow;

Dodge county - less than 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Dooly county - 0.5 inch of ice accumulation;

Douglas county - 4.5 inches of snow;

Emanuel county - 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Fannin county - 8.0 to 9.0 inches of snow;

Fayette county - 1.5 inch of snow/sleet, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Floyd county - 5.0 inches of snow;

Forsyth county - 6.0 inches of snow;

Fulton county - 3.0 inches of snow south part to 4.5 inches of snow north part, less than 0.25 inch ice accumulation;

Gilmer county - 7.0 inches of snow southwest to 9.0 inches of snow northeast;

Gordon county - 5.0 inches of snow;

Greene county - 2.0 inches of snow south to 4.0 inches of snow north;

Gwinnett county - 8.0 inches of snow;

Hall county - 3.2 to 5.0 inches of snow;

Hancock county - approximately 1.0 to 1.5 inches of snow, 0.5 inch of sleet, and less than 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;

Haralson county - 5.0 inches of snow;

Harris county - 0.88 inch of sleet, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Heard county - 2.0 inches of sleet, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Henry county - 4.0 inches of snow, less than 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Houston county - 1.0 inch of sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Jackson county - 5.0 inches of snow;

Jasper county - less than 1.0 inch of snow, 0.5 inch of sleet, and 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Johnson county - 0.50 inch of sleet, 1.0 inch of ice accumulation;

Jones county - less than 0.5 inch of sleet and 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;

Lamar county - approximately 0.25 inch of ice accumulation from freezing rain/freezing drizzle;

Laurens county - 0.50 inch of snow/sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Lumpkin county - 6.0 inches of snow, 0.50 inch of sleet;

Macon county - 0.75 inch of ice accumulation;

Madison county - 10.0 inches of snow;

Marion county - 0.25 inch of sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Meriwether county - 1.5 inches of sleet/0.5 inch of ice accumulation;

Monroe county - 1.0 inch of sleet, 0.5 inch of ice accumulation;

Morgan county - 3.5 to 4.0 inches of snow, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Muscogee county - trace of sleet;

Murray county - 6.0 inches of snow south to 8.0 inches of snow north;

Newton county - 3.5 inches of snow;

Oconee county - 6.2 inches of snow, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Oglethorpe county - generally 8.0 inches of snow across the county;

Paulding county - 5.0 to 6.2 inches of snow;

Peach county - 1.5 inches of sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Pickens county - 6.5 inches of snow, 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Pike county - generally 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Polk county - 5.5 inches of snow;

Pulaski county - 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Putnam county - 4.0 inches of snow;

Rockdale county - 2.0 inches of snow;

Schley county - 0.1 inch of ice accumulation;

Spalding county - 1.0 inch of sleet;

Stewart county - 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Sumter county - 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Talbot county - 0.50 inch of sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Taliaferro county - 2.0 inches of snow south to 3.0 inches of snow north;

Taylor county - 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Telfair county - 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Toombs county - 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Towns county - 8.0 to 9.0 inches of snow;

Treutlen county - 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Troup county - trace of sleet, 0.12 inch of ice accumulation;

Twiggs county - 0.60 inch of sleet, 0.10 inch of ice accumulation;

Union county - 5.0 inches of snow western part to 10 inches of snow eastern part;

Upson county - 0.50 inch of sleet, 0.50 inch of ice accumulation;

Walker county - 7.0 to 8.0 inches of snow;

Walton county - 5.5 inches of snow;

Warren county - 1.5 inches of snow north to a trace south, 0.5 inch or less of sleet, and 0.10 inch of ice accumulation from freezing rain/freezing drizzle;

Washington county - 4.0 inches of snow;

Webster county - 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

White county - 6.0 inches of snow;

Whitfield county - 7.5 inches of snow;

Wilcox county - 0.25 inch of ice accumulation;

Wilkes county - 2.0 inches of snow south to 6.0 inches of snow far north;

Wilkinson county - 1.0 inch of sleet, 0.25 inch of ice accumualation.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 280335. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.