The Brief
- NOAA’s outlook shows no clear signal for a warmer or colder winter, meaning storm timing and track will determine Atlanta’s outcomes.
- Ice, not snow, poses the greatest threat, with even small accumulations capable of paralyzing metro Atlanta for days.
- La Niña could trigger a rain-to-ice flash-freeze setup, the same pattern behind Atlanta’s most disruptive winter storms in 2014 and 2025.
ATLANTA – The FOX 5 Storm Team say Atlanta is heading into a winter season without a strong signal for colder or warmer conditions, but with La Niña lurking in the Pacific Ocean, forecasters warn that one or two disruptive winter storms remain firmly on the table.
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Atlanta winter weather outlook
Big picture view:
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released its winter outlook on Oct. 16, calling for “equal chances” of above-, near- or below-normal temperatures and precipitation across north and central Georgia. In plain terms, forecasters say that means there’s no strong signal either way. So what happens this winter will depend more on timing and the exact path of each storm than any broad seasonal pattern.…