Climate of Georgia (U.S. State) - Temperatures

Temperatures

The majority of Georgia is primarily a subtropical climate tempered somewhat by occasional polar air masses in the winter. Hot and humid summers are typical, except at the highest elevations. The degree to which the weather of a certain area of Georgia is depends not just on the latitude, but also on how close it is to the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico and the altitude. This is especially true in the mountainous areas in the northern part of the state, which are further away from ocean waters and can be up to 4,500 feet (1,400 m) or higher above sea level. The areas near the Florida/Georgia border, extending from the entire Georgia coastline west to the Florida panhandle, experience the most subtropical weather, similar to that of Florida: hot, humid summers with frequent afternoon thunderstorms and mild, somewhat drier winters.

Despite having moderate weather compared to many other states, Georgia has occasional extreme weather. The highest temperature ever recorded is 112 °F (44 °C), while the lowest ever recorded is −17 °F (−27 °C). Heat waves involving temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C) have been recorded.