GEORGIA — As cleanup continues across parts of the Southeast, newly released comparison maps confirm that the National Weather Service office in Atlanta accurately forecast the footprint and intensity of the January 23–26, 2026 ice storm across much of Georgia, closely matching what ultimately fell on the ground.
Side-by-side graphics comparing pre-event forecasts with observed ice accumulation show a near-match in both placement and severity, particularly across north and central Georgia, where freezing rain caused hazardous travel, tree damage, and prolonged recovery efforts.
Meteorologists had flagged this system as a cold air damming (CAD)–driven ice event, and post-storm analysis confirms that the setup behaved almost exactly as expected.
Forecast vs. Reality: Ice Footprint Nearly Identical
Before the storm began, NWS Atlanta projected a swath of moderate to significant ice stretching from northwest Georgia through metro Atlanta and into northeast Georgia…