GEORGIA — Although March is generally associated with the start of spring in the Southeast, historical weather records show that measurable snowfall, and in rare cases significant snowfall approaching a foot, has occurred in Georgia during the month.
Georgia’s climate typically produces mild winters, especially across the southern and coastal portions of the state, according to the National Weather Service.
However, colder air can still reach the region during late winter when Arctic air masses move southward across the eastern United States. When this cold air interacts with moisture from the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean, winter precipitation can develop even late in the season.
The greatest likelihood of measurable snowfall in Georgia occurs in the northern part of the state, particularly in the higher elevations of the North Georgia mountains.
Locations such as Blairsville and areas along the Appalachian foothills historically receive more snowfall than central or southern Georgia. In these higher elevations, individual storms have produced significant snow totals, including amounts approaching or exceeding a foot during particularly strong winter systems.
Late season snow events typically occur when a low pressure system develops along the Gulf Coast or moves across the Deep South while cold air remains in place over Georgia. When temperatures stay below freezing throughout much of the atmosphere, precipitation associated with these systems can fall as snow instead of rain.
Although large snowstorms are uncommon in Georgia compared with states farther north, historical records show that late winter weather patterns can still support snowfall during March.
Under the right atmospheric conditions, a single storm system has the potential to produce significant snowfall totals in parts of the state, particularly in northern Georgia and higher elevation areas.
