As we draw closer and closer to what forecasters say will be a major ice storm in Georgia, here’s a look at the history of ice storms in the state. Keep in mind this may not be a complete listing and thanks to the National Weather Service (NWS), the Georgia National Guard, the Weather Channel, and 11Alive for their help in developing this list.
In no particular order:
- In late January 2014, snow and ice paralyzed north and central Georgia, leaving thousands of motorists stranded in their cars—some for more than 20 hours. According to the Georgia State Patrol, there were more than 1,500 winter storm related accidents and more than 180 injuries. Just two weeks later, in early February, a more powerful storm brought heavy snow and record amounts of ice to north and central Georgia, leaving more than 200,000 Georgians without power.
- In January 2011, a single storm deposited a thick layer of snow and ice that shut down transportation in parts of the state for five days, eventually affecting 70 percent of Georgia.
- In March 1993, a Federal Disaster Declaration was issued after a blizzard dropped more than four inches of snow on metro Atlanta and shut down the entire region for nearly three days. The storm has become known as “The Blizzard of ’93.” Many people, especially in the mountains, were trapped in their remote homes or cabins for days because ice-laden trees fell across the only road leading to them. The storm left 15 dead in Georgia. It also left behind four inches of snow at the Atlanta airport and as much as three feet in other parts of north Georgia.
- On Christmas Day in 1962, an ice storm affected parts of north and east Georgia. The Gainesville area experienced the most significant damage, with numerous trees and power lines down and widespread power outages.
- One of the worst storms occurred in January 1973. It dumped one-to-two inches of ice from sleet and freezing rain across north Georgia. It brought traffic to a standstill and left more than 300,000 people without power, according to a Georgia National Guard history of the storm. It was more than a week before things improved enough to allow some sense of normality to return. A Weather Channel account of the storm describes it as the worst since in Atlanta since the Great Depression. see, it’s been worse before.