The National Weather Service forecasts mostly sunny skies here in Cobb County on Thursday, August 31, 2023, with a high near 84 degrees.
Tonight it is expected to be partly cloudy, with an overnight low of around 67 degrees.
What does the extended forecast have in store?
This forecast is centered on Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 80. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind around 5 mph.
Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 87.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 63.
Labor Day
Sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 64.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 91.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 67.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 92.
What was the climate like in the latest reporting period?
The NWS climate summary for metro Atlanta has now been updated with July 2023 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.”
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.
| Date | Max Temp | Min Temp | Average | Departure from norm | Precipitation |
| 2023-07-01 | 96 | 73 | 84.5 | 4.4 | 0 |
| 2023-07-02 | 93 | 73 | 83 | 2.8 | 0.61 |
| 2023-07-03 | 89 | 72 | 80.5 | 0.2 | 0.01 |
| 2023-07-04 | 92 | 73 | 82.5 | 2.1 | 0 |
| 2023-07-05 | 88 | 75 | 81.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023-07-06 | 93 | 73 | 83 | 2.4 | 0 |
| 2023-07-07 | 92 | 74 | 83 | 2.4 | T |
| 2023-07-08 | 92 | 72 | 82 | 1.3 | 0 |
| 2023-07-09 | 91 | 71 | 81 | 0.2 | 0.19 |
| 2023-07-10 | 87 | 70 | 78.5 | -2.3 | 0.73 |
| 2023-07-11 | 90 | 71 | 80.5 | -0.4 | 0 |
| 2023-07-12 | 92 | 74 | 83 | 2 | T |
| 2023-07-13 | 92 | 74 | 83 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023-07-14 | 93 | 75 | 84 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023-07-15 | 93 | 77 | 85 | 3.9 | 0 |
| 2023-07-16 | 94 | 73 | 83.5 | 2.4 | 0 |
| 2023-07-17 | 91 | 71 | 81 | -0.1 | 0 |
| 2023-07-18 | 93 | 73 | 83 | 1.8 | T |
| 2023-07-19 | 94 | 76 | 85 | 3.8 | T |
| 2023-07-20 | 96 | 74 | 85 | 3.8 | T |
| 2023-07-21 | 94 | 72 | 83 | 1.8 | 0.13 |
| 2023-07-22 | 87 | 71 | 79 | -2.2 | 0.05 |
| 2023-07-23 | 92 | 72 | 82 | 0.8 | 0 |
| 2023-07-24 | 93 | 72 | 82.5 | 1.2 | 0 |
| 2023-07-25 | 95 | 71 | 83 | 1.7 | T |
| 2023-07-26 | 96 | 76 | 86 | 4.8 | 0 |
| 2023-07-27 | 97 | 75 | 86 | 4.8 | 0 |
| 2023-07-28 | 94 | 77 | 85.5 | 4.3 | 0.01 |
| 2023-07-29 | 98 | 77 | 87.5 | 6.3 | 0 |
| 2023-07-30 | 94 | 75 | 84.5 | 3.3 | 0 |
| 2023-07-31 | 97 | 74 | 85.5 | 4.3 | 0 |
Climate Almanac for metro Atlanta
This almanac provides information on past climate conditions for today’s date, August 31, allowing a comparison to current weather. Simply put, it helps you see what the weather would typically be like on this day according to historical data.
| Daily Data | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Max Temperature | M | 87 | 96 in 1953 | 63 in 1986 |
| Min Temperature | M | 70 | 75 in 2016 | 55 in 1887 |
| Avg Temperature | M | 78.5 | 84.5 in 1994 | 60.0 in 1986 |
| Precipitation | M | 0.13 | 3.72 in 2006 | 0.00 in 2022 |
| Snowfall | M | 0.0 | 0.0 in 2022 | 0.0 in 2022 |
| Snow Depth | M | – | 0 in 2022 | 0 in 2022 |
| HDD (base 65) | M | 0 | 5 in 1986 | 0 in 2022 |
| CDD (base 65) | M | 14 | 20 in 1994 | 0 in 1986 |
| Month-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 92.3 | 89.0 | 96.0 in 2007 | 80.9 in 1879 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 73.1 | 71.3 | 75.2 in 2007 | 65.6 in 1967 |
| Avg Temperature | 82.7 | 80.2 | 85.6 in 2007 | 73.9 in 1879 |
| Total Precipitation | 5.24 | 4.30 | 10.02 in 1920 | 0.02 in 1925 |
| Total Snowfall | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 in 2023 | 0.0 in 2023 |
| Max Snow Depth | 0 | – | 0 in 2023 | 0 in 2023 |
| Total HDD (base 65) | 0 | 0 | 11 in 1986 | 0 in 2023 |
| Total CDD (base 65) | 538 | 470 | 646 in 2007 | 284 in 1879 |
| Year-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 77.2 | 75.1 | 77.9 in 2012 | 69.3 in 1895 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 58.6 | 55.8 | 58.6 in 2023 | 50.0 in 1940 |
| Avg Temperature | 67.9 | 65.5 | 68.2 in 2012 | 60.3 in 1940 |
| Total Precipitation | 32.28 | 34.78 | 53.45 in 1920 | 20.72 in 2007 |
| Total Snowfall (since July 1) | 0.0 | 0.0 | T in 2001 | 0.0 in 2023 |
| Max Snow Depth (since July 1) | 0 | – | T in 1942 | 0 in 2023 |
| Total HDD (since July 1) | 0 | 0 | 11 in 1986 | 0 in 2023 |
| Total CDD (since Jan 1) | 1771 | 1648 | 1963 in 2011 | 1046 in 1967 |
Period of Record:
- Max Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2023-08-30
- Min Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2023-08-30
- Precipitation : 1878-10-01 to 2023-08-30
- Snowfall : 1928-12-25 to 2023-08-29
- Snow Depth : 1928-12-25 to 2023-08-29
For much more information on the climate in our area, visit the NWS Climate FAQ for the Atlanta area.
Climate and climate change coverage in the Cobb County Courier
Looking for a US ‘climate haven’ away from heat and disaster risks? Good luck finding one
Extreme Heat Is Particularly Hard On Older Adults, And An Aging Population And Climate Change Are Putting Ever More People At Risk
How Climate Change Intensifies The Water Cycle, Fueling Extreme Rainfall And Flooding – The Northeast Deluge Was Just The Latest
Republicans’ Anti-ESG Attack May Be Silencing Insurers, But It Isn’t Changing Their Pro-Climate Business Decisions
KSU Professor Awarded NSF Grant To Study Effects Of Climate Change On Farming Communities In Iceland And Greenland
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.”