The National Weather Service forecasts sunny skies here in Cobb County on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, with a high near 71 degrees.
Tonight it is expected to be clear, with an overnight low of around 47 degrees.
What does the extended forecast have in store?
This forecast is centered on Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.
Today
Sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Clear, with a low around 47. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night
Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 4 a.m. Low around 53. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Friday
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 a.m, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8 a.m and 9 a.m, then a chance of showers after 9 a.m. High near 68. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 48.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 69.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 47.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 70.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 70.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 48.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
What was the climate like in the latest reporting period?
The NWS climate summary for metro Atlanta has now been updated with September 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 | Maximum Temperature | Minimum Temparature | Average Temperature | Depature from norm | Precipitation |
| 2023-09-01 | 85 | 73 | 79 | 0.7 | 0 |
| 2023-09-02 | 83 | 68 | 75.5 | -2.6 | 0 |
| 2023-09-03 | 87 | 67 | 77 | -1 | 0 |
| 2023-09-04 | 91 | 69 | 80 | 2.2 | 0 |
| 2023-09-05 | 90 | 72 | 81 | 3.4 | 0 |
| 2023-09-06 | 91 | 73 | 82 | 4.6 | 0 |
| 2023-09-07 | 92 | 74 | 83 | 5.8 | 0 |
| 2023-09-08 | 86 | 66 | 76 | -1 | 0 |
| 2023-09-09 | 86 | 69 | 77.5 | 0.8 | T |
| 2023-09-10 | 89 | 67 | 78 | 1.5 | T |
| 2023-09-11 | 93 | 70 | 81.5 | 5.2 | 0 |
| 2023-09-12 | 93 | 72 | 82.5 | 6.5 | T |
| 2023-09-13 | 85 | 71 | 78 | 2.2 | 0.19 |
| 2023-09-14 | 81 | 70 | 75.5 | 0 | 0.09 |
| 2023-09-15 | 74 | 68 | 71 | -4.3 | 0.03 |
| 2023-09-16 | 71 | 66 | 68.5 | -6.5 | 0.46 |
| 2023-09-17 | 82 | 66 | 74 | -0.7 | 0.52 |
| 2023-09-18 | 81 | 61 | 71 | -3.5 | 0 |
| 2023-09-19 | 83 | 62 | 72.5 | -1.7 | 0 |
| 2023-09-20 | 81 | 64 | 72.5 | -1.4 | 0 |
| 2023-09-21 | 83 | 66 | 74.5 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2023-09-22 | 82 | 66 | 74 | 0.7 | 0 |
| 2023-09-23 | 86 | 61 | 73.5 | 0.5 | 0 |
| 2023-09-24 | 86 | 60 | 73 | 0.4 | 0 |
| 2023-09-25 | 89 | 62 | 75.5 | 3.2 | 0 |
| 2023-09-26 | 84 | 71 | 77.5 | 5.5 | 0 |
| 2023-09-27 | 75 | 65 | 70 | -1.7 | 0 |
| 2023-09-28 | 78 | 61 | 69.5 | -1.8 | 0 |
| 2023-09-29 | 86 | 63 | 74.5 | 3.5 | 0 |
| 2023-09-30 | 87 | 65 | 76 | 5.4 | 0 |
Climate Almanac for metro Atlanta
This almanac provides information on past climate conditions for today’s date, October 18, 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 | 74 | 86 in 2016 | 54 in 2022 |
| Min Temperature | M | 54 | 68 in 2007 | 32 in 1948 |
| Avg Temperature | M | 63.9 | 75.5 in 1984 | 43.5 in 1948 |
| Precipitation | M | 0.10 | 2.39 in 1937 | 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 | 3 | 21 in 1948 | 0 in 2018 |
| CDD (base 65) | M | 2 | 11 in 1984 | 0 in 2022 |
| Month-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 74.9 | 76.7 | 83.5 in 2018 | 66.2 in 1885 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 57.2 | 57.6 | 65.9 in 1879 | 47.6 in 1978 |
| Avg Temperature | 66.1 | 67.1 | 74.2 in 2018 | 58.3 in 1888 |
| Total Precipitation | 1.41 | 1.93 | 9.78 in 1995 | 0.00 in 1987 |
| 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) | 42 | 32 | 125 in 1977 | 0 in 1962 |
| Total CDD (base 65) | 65 | 70 | 173 in 2018 | 2 in 1885 |
| Year-to-Date Summary | Observed | Normal | Record Highest | Record Lowest |
| Avg Max Temperature | 77.9 | 76.1 | 78.7 in 2019 | 69.9 in 1885 |
| Avg Min Temperature | 59.4 | 57.0 | 59.9 in 2019 | 51.1 in 1940 |
| Avg Temperature | 68.7 | 66.5 | 69.3 in 2019 | 61.7 in 1940 |
| Total Precipitation | 34.98 | 40.53 | 59.18 in 1929 | 0.47 in 1878 |
| 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) | 42 | 37 | 150 in 1888 | 4 in 2018 |
| Total CDD (since Jan 1) | 2180 | 2020 | 2626 in 2019 | 32 in 1878 |
Period of Record:
- Max Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2023-10-17
- Min Temperature : 1878-10-04 to 2023-10-17
- Precipitation : 1878-10-01 to 2023-10-17
- Snowfall : 1928-12-25 to 2023-10-16
- Snow Depth : 1928-12-25 to 2023-10-15
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
Wildfire Risk Is Soaring For Low-Income, Elderly And Other Vulnerable Populations In California, Washington And Oregon
More Cities Address ‘Shade Deserts’ as Extreme Heat Triggers Health Issues
Geoengineering sounds like a quick climate fix, but without more research and guardrails, it’s a costly gamble − with potentially harmful results
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
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.”
