When it comes to the month of December, temperatures can vary widely for Metro Atlanta.
While the average highs remain in the 50s, they can swell as high as 79 degrees -- the record high for the month, which occurred on December 1, 1991.
Usually these warm temperatures are associated with heavy rain, and sometimes severe thunderstorms including tornadoes and flooding. The average rainfall for December is 4.57 inches, though the record highest monthly rainfall for December is 12.94 inches, set in 1919.
In addition to sizzling heat, it can be bitterly cold in December, even for Atlanta. The record coldest afternoon temperature for December in the city is 15 degrees, which occurred on December 12, 1962. The next day, Atlanta registered a morning low of 1 degree above zero.
But that’s not the coldest temperature it’s ever been in Atlanta for the month! That record goes to Christmas Day 1983, with a morning low of 0 degrees. The afternoon high temperature “warmed” to a frigid 17 degrees.
Speaking of Christmas Day, the warmest Christmas in Atlanta occurred in 2015 when the temperature reached 75 degrees. Indeed, Santa was wearing shorts that year! Other notable warm Christmas Days occurred in 2016, 1987, 1889, 1982, 1955, and 1932, when afternoon temperatures reach 70+ degrees on the holiday.
But it has been cold enough for Frosty the Snowman on Christmas Day in Atlanta. The afternoon high was at or below freezing in 1906 as well as 1983. A bone-chilling Christmas occurred in 2020 when the thermometer only reached 35 degrees in the afternoon.
The coldest Christmas mornings took place in 1983, 1985, 1966, 1906, and 1878 when the thermometer dipped below 20 degrees.
While it has been bitterly cold in December, snow tends to be lacking. The most snow to fall in the month of December is 3.0 inches, which occurred in 2000. The next snowiest December is 1993, with 2.8 inches.
Despite Atlanta’s location in the South, it has indeed snowed on Christmas Day in the city! December 25, 2010 was a magical day when the majority of the Metro Atlanta area experienced measurable snowfall during the afternoon. Hartsfield Jackson International Airport registered 1.3 inches of snow on that day, though slightly higher amounts were observed throughout the Metro area. A trace of snow was also recorded on Christmas Day 2007.
When the weather puts the BRRR in December, it is tempting to light up the fireplace and admire the cozy fire. However, there are a few preventive maintenance tips to do in order to keep the fireplace in good working condition.
I spoke with Dave Baker, Host of the Home-Fix-It Show on 95.5 WSB, about what to do every fall and winter to keep the fireplace in good order.
“The most important thing, before you light the fire, is to have a fireplace company come out to inspect your fireplace and inspect your chimney. You are about to build a fire in your house on purpose, and you need to get it cleaned and make sure there are no leaks in your chimney.”
“If you have a chimney fire, you will have a mess. So have the fireplace company come out and clean it all out.”
“Get the wood-fired chimney and fireplace inspected every year.”