Monthly weather and climate data can be found here for the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta. All Atlanta data is from National Weather Service instruments located at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Data has been collected at that site since 1930. Quick data points and rankings are posted on the right side of the homepage (below posts for mobile users). All data is pulled from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) websites and is updated on a daily and monthly basis. Georgia temperature data and drought data for the previous month is released by NOAA several days into the new month (ex: January data is released around Feb 7th).
Keep in mind that scientists don’t simply look at raw data to assess changes in the climate. Quality control methods must be applied to weather stations to ensure they are not capturing inaccurate or erroneous data. Adjustments of observed temperatures may also occur. As land gets developed, localized temperatures generally warm. This is known as the urban heat island effect. Scientists must adjust for this as well as changes in the quality of instrumentation over time. The significant bulk of adjustments have occurred to data observed prior to 1940 and those adjustments have generally resulted in warmer temperatures. The adjustments made over the past several decades have generally resulted in minimal changes from the observed data. Popular Mechanics has a good article about how scientists determined in 2012 that the old global temperature record of 136.4°F recorded in Libya in 1922 was not credible. Death Valley, California now holds the global record of 134°F, recorded in 1913.
Current Conditions
Current Temperature Chart
This is the top chart that appears to the right (desktop) or below the article (mobile). All data is updated on an hourly basis. The bottom two data points show today’s average temperature and the normal average temperature for today. The average temperature is simply the high for the day plus the low for the day, divided by two. NOAA’s definition of “normal” is based on data collected between 1980 and 2010.
The chart with the colored dots on the right (desktop) or below (mobile) shows the average month-to-date temperature for all years going back to 1930. The black star represents the current year. The month-to-date average temperature is the average temperature from the first of the month through today. For example, on June 30 there were 8 years with warmer June 1 to June 30 (month-to-date) average temperatures than June 1 to June 30, 2018. That makes June 1 to June 30, 2018 the 9th warmest June 1 to June 30 on record, which would be reflected on the bottom chart.
Average Monthly Temperature by Decade
The chart below shows the average month-to-date temperature for each decade.
Historical Yearly Temperature Chart
The chart below shows the average year-to-date (ytd) temperature for every year going back to 1930.
This chart shows what the average temperature up to this point in the year has been for each decade.
Monthly and Yearly Rank Chart
The third chart on the right (desktop) or below (mobile) shows how temperatures up to this point in the month and year compare to historical temperatures up to this point in the month and year going back to 1930. Since our graphs update on an hourly basis, the ranking may change throughout the day as today’s latest temperatures get incorporated into the historical comparison.
Monthly and Yearly Rank Change Over Time
The chart below shows how the monthly and yearly ranking has changed over time, so you can track fluctuations. The rankings shown on the chart are recorded at the end of each day. December 31, 2018 remains on the chart to show 2018’s year-end ranking.
*Note that on April 17, 2019 and August 9, 2019 yearly data was reconciled with the Southeastern Regional Climate Center’s data to make 2019’s year-to-date temperature more precise. This resulted in changes to 2019’s ranking.
The chart below shows what average temperature is needed today for our month-do-date ranking to be the 1st warmest or 1st coldest. So if it’s the 15th of the month and our month-do-date ranking is 6 then the left-most temperature on the graph represents the average temperature we need today in order for the ranking to move from 6th to 1st. If it’s the 15th of the month and our ranking is already 1st warmest then the left-most temperature represents the maximum average temperature needed today for our ranking to drop from 1st to 2nd. These temperatures will often be impossible to achieve, but they provide a general indication of how our current temperatures compare to the most extreme temperatures we’ve seen in previous years.
