Atlanta has been going through some chilly times. In the next week, temperatures will drop down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re in metro Atlanta, you’ll know it’s been a special couple of days recently.
Atlanta, known for its hot and muggy weather, turned heads when it received three and a half inches of snow in one day. For Atlanta teens, this may as well have been Christmas, because Atlanta Public Schools (APS) — among many other school systems — closed on Friday, Jan. 10 for an early weekend. While snow in Atlanta created some fun memories for people across the city, the snow likely reflects broader problems linked to climate change.
For the most part, Atlanta has had relatively mild winters throughout history. The average temperature range in December is usually a mild 38-55 degrees, not often reaching below freezing. Occasionally, Atlanta will see snow storms, such as the 2014 “Snowmageddon.” What some called the “Snowpocalypse” plagued Atlanta causing severe chaos with only two and a half inches of snow. Students were stuck on school buses that couldn’t take them home, and parents who rushed to pick up their children were unable to reach them. Some people were even stuck for up to 12 hours on Atlanta roads.
Things have changed quite a bit since then for Atlanta. For one, preparations for snow are now taken much more seriously. This year, when the weather forecast predicted a snow storm, local school systems preemptively shut down for the day.
Reactions to this snowfall were largely positive among Atlanta residents. Various TikTok pages posted videos of people playing in the snow. Dancehall artist and “Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta” co-start @spiceofficialqueen called it a “winter wonderland” on TikTok.
Despite public reaction being largely cheerful, the snow storm in Atlanta has possible implications for the future of climate change. According to the United Nations, climate change is not just global warming but refers to “long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.” This means that any type of long-term shift in temperature, even those getting colder, is climate change.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, warmer arctic temperatures impact jet streams — fast moving air currents in the upper atmosphere — by shifting the air farther south. This contributes to colder winters in areas like Atlanta. In addition, climate change can cause extreme weather events. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Sixth Assessment Report, a rise in greenhouse gases has increased the frequency of extreme weather events like snowstorms.
It’s no secret Atlanta may be vulnerable to climate change. With its unique geography, rapid urbanization, and limited infrastructure for extreme weather events, the city struggles to adapt to sudden snowfalls and other unpredictable climate-related phenomena. Additionally, Atlanta’s urban heat, car-dependent infrastructure, and susceptibility to flooding from increasingly intense storms shows fragility in the face of climate change.
