Atlanta, NE climate
Atlanta has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Atlanta feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Atlanta weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 15° | 0.5" | 5.6" | 3 | 11 | 18° – 39° |
| February | 42° | 19° | 0.7" | 7.0" | 4 | 11 | 19° – 39° |
| March | 54° | 28° | 1.4" | 3.9" | 6 | 4 | 33° – 52° |
| April | 63° | 37° | 2.5" | 1.8" | 8 | 1 | 43° – 56° |
| May | 73° | 48° | 3.9" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 84° | 58° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 77° |
| July | 88° | 63° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 70° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 62° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| September | 79° | 52° | 1.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| October | 66° | 39° | 2.0" | 0.8" | 6 | 1 | 44° – 57° |
| November | 52° | 27° | 0.9" | 2.0" | 4 | 2 | 29° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 18° | 0.6" | 4.1" | 3 | 7 | 20° – 34° |
| Year | 64° | 39° | 25.1" | 25.4" | 75 | 37 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Atlanta
Atlanta gets 25 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 75 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 37 days of the year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 11. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Atlanta
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Atlanta, 88% of that work is heating and 12% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Atlanta compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Atlanta averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Atlanta’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 18° to 39°. July is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Atlanta’s climate
What is the coldest month in Atlanta?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 15°.
What is the hottest month in Atlanta?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 63°. About 32 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Atlanta get?
About 25 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Atlanta?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 11, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Atlanta?
May, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 25 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Atlanta itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Holdrege, NE (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.