Planning a trip to beautiful Atlanta? Considering moving to Atlanta in the near future? You’ll want to know what to expect from the Atlanta weather. Is Atlanta hot all year? What are winters like in Atlanta, Georgia? The climate in Atlanta is humid subtropical. That means you’ll enjoy four distinct seasons with hot, humid summers and cool, wet winters. It’s rarely colder 22°F or hotter than 95°F. When preparing for the Atlanta climate, be braced for lots of rain and humidity!
Before getting started, you may be wondering: what’s the difference between climate and weather? Climate refers to the region’s weather average over time. Weather refers to short-term conditions and may change from one minute to the next.
Here’s what the weather is like in Atlanta by season, average temperature in Atlanta by month, and extremes you may face.
Table of Contents
Atlanta Seasons
Spring
Spring in Atlanta lasts from March to May. What is Atlanta spring weather like? It can be unpredictable. Some years spring is very chilly and some years spring is already balmy. During the beginning of spring, you’ll have daytime temperatures ranging from 46 to 63°F with temperatures getting up to 73 to 81°F during the end of spring in May.
Rain in Atlanta is common throughout the year, but spring is noticeably drier than summer. Spring is a great time to enjoy the outdoors in Atlanta when warm Gulf of Mexico air brings warm daytime temperatures without the humidity.
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There are tons of things to do in Atlanta during the spring from picnics at Old Fourth Ward Park to hiking at Sweetwater Creek, not to mention tons of great festivals. The Sweet Auburn Springfest is the largest free outdoor festival in the region with live music and food!
Summer
Atlanta summer weather is very hot and humid. The average summer temperature in Atlanta is a low of 67°F and a high of 90°F. Temperatures sometimes exceed 100°F. There are about 31 days during summer with temperatures over 90°F. You’ll usually have a 20 to 40% chance of summer thunderstorms in the afternoon which can come with heavy rain and temperatures dipping below 85°F.
Summer is the Atlanta rainy season despite rainfall being common throughout the year. Even though Atlanta has far fewer rainy days than Seattle, it has much higher annual rainfall thanks to tropical depressions and heavy thunderstorms in the summer.
When does summer start in Atlanta? Summer begins in June and ends in August.
The weather may be hot and muggy, but there’s plenty to enjoy about the Atlanta climate in the summer. Visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden, walk the Beltline, enjoy an art stroll in Castleberry Hill, and beat the heat at Piedmont Park.
Fall
When does fall start in Atlanta? Autumn begins in September and ends in November. The Atlanta climate in fall is very pleasant with cool, sunny days and less rain than the rest of the year.
Atlanta fall weather during the day brings average lows of 41 to 62°F and highs of 64 to 83°F. During September and October, you’ll often experience an Indian summer with daytime highs in the 80s.
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Looking for things to do in Atlanta in the fall? The Taste of Atlanta is held in the Historic Fourth Ward Park with food from 80 local restaurants plus beer, cocktails, and wine. There’s also the Shaky Knees Festival for live music, beautiful fall foliage to enjoy, and family-friendly activities like picking apples.
Winter
Atlanta winter temperatures are warmer than most places in the U.S. There are about 47 days on average during the winter with nighttime lows below freezing, but it virtually never goes below 0°F. Winter also gets the least amount of rain with just a 20% chance of a rainy day.
How cold does it get in Atlanta? It very rarely dips below 10°F at night with only a few winter nights getting colder than 20°F. About 45-50 nights per year get below freezing (32°F). During the day, you can expect high temperatures in the low 50s in the winter.
When preparing for Atlanta winter weather, you’ll want to dress warmly in a sweater, long sleeves, and warm gloves. A coat is usually only needed during cold nights.
Does it snow in Atlanta? A bit, but not worth noticing. Atlanta gets about 1.4 inches of rain per year. January is the snowiest month, but it usually snows no more than once a year and accumulation is rare.
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During the winter in Atlanta, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do like the open-air ice skating rink in Midtown and Garden Lights, Holiday Lights at the Botanical Garden.
Atlanta Weather by Month | Atlanta Average Temperatures
January
The average temperature in Atlanta in January is 43°F. Warm ocean air sometimes makes it feel like spring, but Arctic air masses can push temperatures down to 10-20°F. January is the coldest month in Atlanta with an average nighttime low of 33°F. During the day, the average high is 50°F. January Atlanta rainfall is about 4.2” on average with seven rainy days.
You won’t need it often during the day, but you’ll want a good coat for cold January nights. Be prepared for the cold with a comfortable sweater or jacket, long pants, and gloves.
February
February marks the end of winter in Atlanta. Temperatures begin to climb and range from 39°F to 55°F during the day. Expect an average of 4.7” of rain with seven rainy days.
March
March is the start of spring in Atlanta. Temperatures rapidly begin climbing with an average high of 63°F and an average low of 46°F. March has eight rainy days on average with 4.8” of rainfall.
April
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April is one of the best times to visit Atlanta thanks to its very pleasant weather. The average temperature in Atlanta in April ranges from 63°F to 73°F without the humidity of summer. You’ll get about 3.4” of rain during April and six rainy days.
Be sure to catch the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in April at Piedmont Park to celebrate the city’s native dogwood trees.
May
May is the end of spring in Atlanta. The average high temperature in May is 73°F to 81°F. May is a great time to visit Atlanta before the heat, humidity, and rain increase in June. However, there are about 8 rainy days during May with 3.6” of rain.
At the end of May, make sure you check out the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, a multi-day event to sample cuisine from chefs around the region, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival, a free event with performances by top jazz artists.
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June
June is the start of summer in Atlanta with average high temperatures of 81°F to 88°F. There are eight rainy days on average with 4” of rainfall. Make sure you keep an umbrella handy because June and July get a lot of rain!
July
When you look at Atlanta weather monthly averages, July is the hottest month with an average high temperature of 90°F. The average heat index in July is 107°F! The heat index is the “apparent temperature,” not just the air temperature, and considers the relative humidity. That means that it actually feels like 107°F even when it’s in the 80s or 90s! July is also the wettest month in Atlanta: you’ll get more than 5.2” of rain on average and 9 rainy days.
August
August is the end of summer in Atlanta with average high temperatures of 70°F to 88°F. August gets about 7 rainy days with 3.9” of rain.
September
September is the start of autumn and one of the most pleasant months in Atlanta. The Atlanta fall temperatures are still warm: during September, the average high is 66°F to 84°F. There are about 5 rainy days on average during September with an average of 4.7” of rain.
October
October is the driest month in Atlanta with just 3.4” average inches of rain and only five rainy days. Temperatures also start to drop with an average high of 61°F to 73°F.
November
November is a cool month with average high temperatures of 54°F to 62°F. You’ll get about 4.1” of rain during November with 6 rainy days.
December
December is the start of winter in Atlanta. The average highs range from 40°F to 54°F. There are about 8 rainy days during December with 3.9” of rainfall on average. You might see snow in December, even though it hardly ever sticks.
Atlanta Climate Statistics
- Number of sunny days in Atlanta: 217
- Annual rainfall in Atlanta: 52”
- Annual snowfall in Atlanta: 1”
- Coldest month: January
- Hottest month: July
- Wettest month: July
- Most humid month: December
- Atlanta record high temperature: 106°F on June 30, 2012
- Atlanta record low temperature: -9°F on February 13, 1899
- Atlanta record snowfall: 10” on January 23, 1940
Extreme Weather in Atlanta
Atlanta winter weather is usually mild, but the city is sometimes hit by winter blizzards and ice storms. The Super Bowl Ice Storm of January 2000 cost the city $48 million, caused hundreds of wrecks, and left half a million people without power for up to a week. Another blizzard hit in January 2014 and, despite dropping just 2.6” of snow, left motorists stranded on three highways for up to a day.
It doesn’t take much snow in Atlanta to completely shut the city down and wreak havoc on traffic.
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Heat waves are a common form of extreme weather in Atlanta. On average, Georgia experiences 20 dangerous heat days every year. This is expected to increase to 90 days per year by 2050. Atlanta is the country’s 19th fastest-warming city. In May 2021, Atlanta and much of the Southeast experienced a heat wave that caused temperatures to soar well over 90 degrees for a week. In 2019, a heat wave caused temperatures to reach 99 degrees, shattering a record previously set in 1900. In 2012, Atlanta set a new all-time high record of 106 degrees, breaking the record set in 1980.
Heat waves in Atlanta aren’t just uncomfortable; they can be deadly. A heat wave in 2018 left four dead while 101 people were killed by the severe Atlanta heat wave of 1980. Extreme heat causes more deaths in the U.S. than all other types of weather events like tornadoes and hurricanes combined, particularly when a city’s infrastructure is overwhelmed and power is lost.
Best Time to Visit Atlanta
The best time to visit Atlanta is March to May or September. You’ll enjoy the most pleasant weather and avoid the worst of the summer humidity, heat, and rain. You’ll also enjoy plenty of outdoor activities, concerts, and events. June to August is the tourist season for Atlanta. The Atlanta climate during the summer is extremely humid and hot and hotel rates are highest. It’s best to visit Atlanta before or just after summer.
Are you ready to embrace the rain, heat, and muggy weather in Atlanta? In exchange, you’ll enjoy pleasant temperatures most of the year without extreme cold. Once you’ve settled on a great Atlanta neighborhood to make your own, get in touch with the 5-star movers at Wirks Moving & Storage for a free Atlanta moving quote!
