Atlanta, Georgia, features a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are long, hot, and humid, while winters are short, mild, and occasionally cold. Rainfall is well-distributed throughout the year, and sunshine is abundant, especially in spring and summer. Atlanta’s weather supports a vibrant outdoor culture but can be changeable, especially during transitional seasons.
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
Atlanta’s climate is classified as humid subtropical, characterised by hot, muggy summers and short, mild winters. Average summer highs reach 31–32°C in July, with high humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Heatwaves can push temperatures above 36°C, though such extremes are not the norm. Summer nights remain warm, typically above 20°C. Winters are generally mild, with average highs around 12°C in January and lows near 2°C, but occasional cold snaps can bring freezing temperatures and rare snowfalls. The city averages about 2.2 inches (5.6 cm) of snow per winter, but many winters see little or none.
Spring and autumn are pleasant and mild, with temperatures ranging from 17–27°C and lower humidity. Rainfall is abundant and evenly spread through the year, with March and July being the wettest months (about 120 mm each), and October the driest (around 85 mm). Atlanta receives approximately 1,280 mm of precipitation annually. Sunshine is plentiful, with up to 9–10 hours per day in late spring and early summer, and around 2,740 hours per year. Winds are generally light to moderate, averaging 8–15 km/h, and severe weather such as tornadoes or hurricanes is rare but possible, especially in spring and late summer. The city’s elevation helps moderate summer heat, but humidity remains high in the warmest months.
| Average climate data for Atlanta, United States | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average maximum temperature (°C) | 10 | 13 | 17 | 23 | 27 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 23 | 16 | 12 | 32 |
| Average minimum temperature (°C) | 1 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 26 | 30 | 22 | 31 | 29 | 34 | 51 | 58 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 33 | 372 |
| Average rainfall days (days) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 134 |
| Average snowfall (mm) | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
| Average snowfall days (days) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 74 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 69 | 68 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 76 | 72 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
| Average daily daylight hours (h) | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
| Average daily sunshine hours (h) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Average cloud coverage (%) | 41 | 45 | 43 | 33 | 32 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 34 | 46 | 35 |
| Average UV index | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
The best time to visit Atlanta is in spring (April–May) and autumn (mid-September–October), when temperatures are mild (18–27°C), humidity is lower, and rainfall is moderate. These seasons offer ideal conditions for sightseeing, outdoor events, and exploring the city’s parks and neighbourhoods.
The least favourable time to visit is during the peak of summer (July–August), when high temperatures (30–32°C), humidity, and frequent thunderstorms can make outdoor activities uncomfortable. Winter is generally mild, but occasional cold snaps and rare snow can disrupt travel plans.
Atlanta has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and short, mild winters. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, and sunshine is abundant, especially in spring and summer.
The best times for outdoor activities are spring (April–May) and autumn (mid-September–October), when temperatures are pleasant, humidity is lower, and rainfall is moderate.
Snow is rare in Atlanta, with an average of about 2.2 inches (5.6 cm) per winter. Some winters see no snow at all, while others may experience brief, disruptive snowfalls.
Summer temperatures in Atlanta often reach 31–32°C, with high humidity. Heatwaves can push temperatures above 36°C, but such extremes are not common every year.
Atlanta can experience thunderstorms, especially in spring and summer, and occasionally tornadoes or the remnants of hurricanes. However, severe weather is less frequent than in other parts of the southeastern U.S.
Atlanta receives about 1,280 mm of rain annually, with March and July being the wettest months. Rainfall is generally well-distributed, but brief heavy downpours are common in summer.
The warmest month, with the highest average maximum temperature, is July (32.5 °C). The month with the lowest average maximum temperature is January (10.2 °C). Overall, the average maximum temperature over the whole year is 22.2 °C.
The month with the highest average minimum temperature is July (22 °C). The coldest month, with the lowest average minimum temperature, is January (1.5 °C). Overall, the average minimum temperature over the whole year is 12.2 °C.
The wettest month, with the highest amount of precipitation, is August (58.4 mm). The driest month, with the least amount of precipitation, is September (14 mm). Over the whole year there are 372.4 mm of rainfall on average.
The month with the most days of rain is August (17.1 days). The month with the fewest days of rain is November (6.9 days). Over the whole year there are 133.8 days of rain on average.
The month with the most snowfall is February (5 mm). The months with the least snowfall are April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November (0 mm). Over the whole year there are 14.9 mm of snowfall on average.
The month with the most days of snowfall is February (0.9 days). The months with the fewest days of snowfall are May, June, August, September and October (0 days). Over the whole year there are 2.5 days of snowfall on average.
The month with the highest average relative humidity is December (76.2 %). The month with the lowest average relative humidity is August (68.2 %). The overall average relative humidity over the whole year is 71.6 %.
The windiest month, with the highest average wind speed, is January (13 km/h). The calmest month, with the lowest average wind speed, is August (7.3 km/h). The overall average wind speed over the whole year is 10.1 km/h.
The month with the cloudiest skies, so the highest cloud coverage, is December (45.9 %). The month with the clearest skies, so the lowest cloud coverage, is June (29.4 %). Over the whole year there is an average cloud coverage of 35.5 %.
The month with the longest days, so the most daylight, is June (Average daylight: 14 h). The month with the shortest days, so the least daylight, is December (Average daylight: 10 h). Over the whole year there are 11.9 h of daylight per day on average.
The month with the most sunshine per day is July (Average sunshine: 10.1 h). The month with the least sunshine per day is December (Average sunshine: 5 h). Over the whole year there are 7.5 h of sunlight per day on average.
The month with the highest average UV index is August (UV index: 7). The months with the lowest average UV index are January and December (UV index: 2). Over the whole year the average UV index is 4.4.
