The National Weather Service forecasts partly sunny skies here in Cobb County on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, with a high near 80 degrees.
Tonight it is expected to be partly cloudy, with an overnight low of around 60 degrees.
What does the extended forecast have in store?
This forecast is centered on Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.
Today
Partly sunny, with a high near 80. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind around 5 mph.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 60. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 80. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 81.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 82.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
Monday
A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Monday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Tuesday
A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
What was the climate like in the latest reporting period?
The NWS climate summary for metro Atlanta has now been updated with August 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 | Depature from norm | Precipitation |
| 2023-08-01 | 96 | 73 | 84.5 | 3.3 | 0 |
| 2023-08-02 | 91 | 74 | 82.5 | 1.4 | 0 |
| 2023-08-03 | 92 | 73 | 82.5 | 1.4 | 0.23 |
| 2023-08-04 | 91 | 73 | 82 | 0.9 | T |
| 2023-08-05 | 96 | 74 | 85 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023-08-06 | 96 | 71 | 83.5 | 2.5 | 1.07 |
| 2023-08-07 | 93 | 71 | 82 | 1.1 | 0.26 |
| 2023-08-08 | 88 | 72 | 80 | -0.9 | T |
| 2023-08-09 | 89 | 69 | 79 | -1.8 | 0.03 |
| 2023-08-10 | 87 | 69 | 78 | -2.8 | 0.16 |
| 2023-08-11 | 90 | 72 | 81 | 0.3 | 0.65 |
| 2023-08-12 | 94 | 73 | 83.5 | 2.9 | 0.82 |
| 2023-08-13 | 94 | 72 | 83 | 2.4 | 0 |
| 2023-08-14 | 96 | 76 | 86 | 5.5 | 0.01 |
| 2023-08-15 | 90 | 73 | 81.5 | 1.1 | 0.63 |
| 2023-08-16 | 86 | 67 | 76.5 | -3.8 | 0 |
| 2023-08-17 | 87 | 68 | 77.5 | -2.7 | 0 |
| 2023-08-18 | 90 | 69 | 79.5 | -0.7 | 0 |
| 2023-08-19 | 89 | 74 | 81.5 | 1.4 | 0 |
| 2023-08-20 | 92 | 72 | 82 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023-08-21 | 96 | 75 | 85.5 | 5.7 | 0 |
| 2023-08-22 | 96 | 76 | 86 | 6.3 | 0 |
| 2023-08-23 | 93 | 81 | 87 | 7.4 | 0 |
| 2023-08-24 | 96 | 76 | 86 | 6.5 | 0 |
| 2023-08-25 | 98 | 80 | 89 | 9.6 | 0 |
| 2023-08-26 | 99 | 77 | 88 | 8.8 | 0 |
| 2023-08-27 | 97 | 77 | 87 | 7.9 | T |
| 2023-08-28 | 93 | 73 | 83 | 4 | 0.84 |
| 2023-08-29 | 90 | 73 | 81.5 | 2.7 | 0.08 |
| 2023-08-30 | 85 | 71 | 78 | -0.7 | 0.46 |
| 2023-08-31 | 88 | 68 | 78 | -0.5 | 0 |
Climate Almanac for metro Atlanta
This almanac provides information on past climate conditions for today’s date, September 20, 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 | 83 | 99 in 1925 | 64 in 1943 |
| Min Temperature | M | 65 | 79 in 1925 | 45 in 1889 |
| Avg Temperature | M | 73.9 | 89.0 in 1925 | 57.0 in 1918 |
| Precipitation | M | 0.13 | 1.86 in 1999 | 0.00 in 2020 |
| 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 | 8 in 1918 | 0 in 2022 |
| CDD (base 65) | M | 9 | 24 in 1925 | 0 in 2020 |
| Month-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 85.4 | 85.2 | 95.8 in 1925 | 77.0 in 1967 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 68.6 | 67.4 | 74.6 in 1925 | 60.0 in 1967 |
| Avg Temperature | 77.0 | 76.3 | 85.2 in 1925 | 68.5 in 1967 |
| Total Precipitation | 1.29 | 2.50 | 13.27 in 1888 | 0.00 in 1897 |
| 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 | 1 | 20 in 1902 | 0 in 2023 |
| Total CDD (base 65) | 232 | 227 | 408 in 1925 | 81 in 1967 |
| Year-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 77.9 | 75.8 | 78.4 in 2012 | 70.1 in 1885 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 59.4 | 56.7 | 59.4 in 2023 | 50.9 in 1940 |
| Avg Temperature | 68.6 | 66.3 | 68.7 in 2012 | 61.3 in 1940 |
| Total Precipitation | 33.57 | 37.28 | 55.58 in 1920 | 22.45 in 1931 |
| 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 | 1 | 20 in 1902 | 0 in 2023 |
| Total CDD (since Jan 1) | 2016 | 1875 | 2314 in 2019 | 1127 in 1967 |
Period of Record:
- Max Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2023-09-19
- Min Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2023-09-19
- Precipitation : 1878-10-01 to 2023-09-19
- Snowfall : 1928-12-25 to 2023-09-18
- Snow Depth : 1928-12-25 to 2023-09-18
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
As climate change warms rivers, they are running out of breath – and so could the plants and animals they harbor
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.”