The National Weather Service forecasts sunny skies here in Cobb County on Monday, March 20, 2023, with a high near 55 degrees.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook and a freeze warning for Cobb County and other parts of the region.

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What does the extended forecast have in store?

This forecast is centered on Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.

Monday

Sunny, with a high near 55. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Monday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday

Partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 58.

Friday

A 30 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.

Friday Night

Showers. Low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday

Showers. High near 72. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 75.

What was the climate like in the latest reporting period?

The NWS climate summary for metro Atlanta has now been updated with November figures.

In an article entitled What is the Difference between Climate and Weather?, the National Ocean Service describes the difference as follows:

“Weather is what you see outside on any particular day. So, for example, it may be 75° degrees and sunny or it could be 20° degrees with heavy snow. That’s the weather.

“Climate is the average of that weather. For example, you can expect snow in the Northeast in January or for it to be hot and humid in the Southeast in July. This is climate. The climate record also includes extreme values such as record high temperatures or record amounts of rainfall. If you’ve ever heard your local weather person say “today we hit a record high for this day,” she is talking about climate records.

“So when we are talking about climate change, we are talking about changes in long-term averages of daily weather. In most places, weather can change from minute-to-minute, hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. Climate, however, is the average of weather over time and space.”

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The climate report for the Atlanta area for the previous month shows how much departure from the average temperatures that month represents. The average temperature for a date is the average over a 30-year period.

February 2023 Climate Averages
Climate Site	February Temp (°F)	Average Temp	Departure from normal
Athens	55.2	47.9	7.3
Atlanta	57.1	48.5	8.6
Columbus	59.3	52.3	7.0
Macon	59.4	51.2	8.2
Dekalb Peachtree Arpt	54.3	46.1	8.2
Fulton Co Arpt	55.1	47.5	7.6
Gainesville	54.5	45.7	8.8
Peachtree City	55.7	48.7	7.0
Rome	53.5	46.3	7.2

February 2023 Temperature Climate Statistics
Climate Site	Maximum Temperature	Max T Date	Minimum Temperature	Min T Date
Athens	81*	2/22	28	2/4, 18
Atlanta	81*	2/22	29	2/18
Columbus	84	2/22	31	2/18
Macon	85*	2/22	30	2/4, 18
Dekalb Peachtree Arpt	80	2/22	26	2/4
Fulton Co Arpt	82	2/22	26	2/4
Gainesville	80	2/22	27	2/18
Peachtree City	81	2/22	27	2/18
Rome	83	2/22	26	2/4

*Indicates a daily record was set

February 2023  Precipitation Climate Statistics
Climate Site	Total Precipitation	Average Precipitation	DFN (DepartureFrom Normal)
Athens	3.12	4.36	-1.24
Atlanta	2.22	4.55	-2.33
Columbus	1.99	4.46	-2.47
Macon	2.52	4.17	-1.65
Dekalb Peachtree Arpt	3.15	4.47	-1.32
Fulton County Arpt	3.40	4.34	-0.94
Gainesville	3.87	4.65	-0.78
Peachtree City	2.77	4.61	-1.84
Rome	4.65	4.81	-0.16

February 2023  Precipitation Climate Statistics
Climate Site	Maximum Daily Precip (in inches)	Max P Date
Athens	1.25	2/11
Atlanta	0.86	2/2
Columbus	0.86	2/2
Macon	1.79	2/11
Dekalb Peachtree Arpt	0.88	2/17
Fulton Co Arpt	1.12	2/16
Gainesville	0.86	2/23
Peachtree City	0.93	2/11
Rome	2.11	2/16

February 2023 Climate Records
Date	Type	Location	Records set over a 24 hour period
2/23	High T	Athens	A daily record high Temperature of 80° breaks the old record set in 2012.
2/24	High T	Athens	A daily record high Temperature of 80° breaks the old record set in 2012.
2/22	High T	Atlanta	A daily record high Temperature of 80° breaks the old record set in 2021.
2/23	High T	Atlanta	A daily record high Temperature of 81° breaks the old record set in 2018.
2/24	High T	Atlanta	A daily record high Temperature of 81° breaks the old record set in 2018.
2/26	High T	Macon	A daily record high Temperature of 83° breaks the old record set in 1944.
2/27	High T	Macon	A daily record high Temperature of 83° breaks the old record set in 1944.

February 2023 Climate Records
Date	Type	Location	Records set over a 24 hour period
2/24	Min T	Atlanta	A record high Minimum Temperature of 69° breaks the all time record..
2/23	Min T	Atlanta	A record high Minimum Temperature of 67° breaks the all time record.
2/24	Min T	Columbus	A daily record high Minimum Temperature of 65° breaks the old record set in 2018.
2/23	Min T	Columbus	A record high Minimum Temperature of 68° breaks the all time record.
2/25	Min T	Macon	A daily record high Minimum Temperature of 66° breaks the old record set in 1981.

For much more information on the climate in our area, visit the NWS Climate FAQ for the Atlanta area.

What does the National Weather Service do?

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NWS describes its role as follows:

“The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. 

“These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.”