Section 3 Georgias Climate Georgias mild climate attracts

Georgia’s Temperature • Mild climate, subtropical feel along the coast • Hot, humid summers

Georgia’s Precipitation • In normal year, Georgia gets 40 -52 inches of rain in

Winds and Currents • Air masses from Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean

Storms over Georgia • Georgia averages 21 tornadoes each year, resulting in one to

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Section 3: Georgia’s Climate Georgia’s mild climate attracts businesses and tourists. The mild climate also makes farmers have longer growing seasons.

Georgia’s Temperature • Mild climate, subtropical feel along the coast • Hot, humid summers and mild winters • Four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter • Vertical climate (higher elevation in mountains causes colder temperatures) • July is hottest month; January is coldest

Georgia’s Precipitation • In normal year, Georgia gets 40 -52 inches of rain in central and southern regions and 65 -76 inches in the northern mountains • July is wettest month; October is driest • From 1998 to 2002, Georgia experienced a major drought (extended lack of precipitation)

Winds and Currents • Air masses from Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean control summer’s warm months. • Air masses from polar regions of Alaska and Canada control Georgia’s winters. • Ocean currents, trade winds, and prevailing westerlies aided travel for early explorers and settlers to Georgia.

Storms over Georgia • Georgia averages 21 tornadoes each year, resulting in one to three deaths • Most tornadoes in Georgia occur from March to May • Georgia’s most hurricane-like storm (in terms of lives lost) occurred in Savannah in 1893 • Called the “Sea Islands Hurricane, ” the storm resulted in 1, 000 deaths.