December 14 - 15, 2005 |
On December 14 and 15, 2005 a winter storm produced a heavy load of ice to trees and power lines across much of Northeast Georgia. Power was knocked out in a number of counties as tree limbs and powers lines fell. Some roads were blocked by debris and others became icy - especially the bridges. Hardest hit areas were White, Banks, Hall, and Gwinnett counties where up to 1/2 inch of ice accumulated. Surrounding counties picked up around 1/4 inch. (See below for a listing of reports from affected counties.)
The event was caused by a low pressure system moving out of the Gulf of Mexico. This system pushed an area of rain into Georgia late on the 14th. The rain fell into a shallow layer of cold air. When temperatures in Northeast Georgia fell below freezing overnight, the rain began freezing on contact with all objects above the ground, and, in some cases, with the ground itself. Rain fell for several hours which caused ice to become thick and heavy. Freezing rain ended on the 15th during the day, but not before depositing as much as a half inch of ice in some areas, including Hall, White and Banks Counties, as well as some nearby counties bordering South Carolina.
Surface Map Showing Location of Gulf Low on the Morning of the 15th |
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Examples of Icing in Gwinnett County, Georgia ( click images to enlarge ) | ||
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Photos courtesy of K.C. Curry. Images taken near Dacula at 415 pm on the 15th. |