Some computer weather maps spreading on social media show snow coming to Georgia in the coming days, but official forecasts do not match those viral images for metro Atlanta and North Georgia.
What’s Important: Most weather maps on social media come from single computer model runs, which are raw computer output.
Actual weather forecasts are created by meteorologists who review many model runs, check live weather data, and consider local conditions before issuing an outlook.
Models Versus Forecasts: Computer weather models are software programs that use math and current weather data to estimate future conditions.
A forecast is what viewers see on TV, websites, or phone apps after meteorologists compare several models with radar, satellite, and ground observations.
Single model runs can show snow or other extreme weather that never occurs.
Because models update several times each day, one run may place snow over Georgia while another run a few hours later shows only rain.
The Big Picture: Federal climate forecasters report that North Georgia has equal chances of above‑normal or below‑normal temperatures during the 2025–26 winter season.
This pattern is tied to La Niña, when sea surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal for months at a time.
La Niña can change the usual tracks of storms that move across the United States, including systems that reach Georgia.
In Georgia, La Niña winters often bring more rain that can freeze into ice than large amounts of snow, especially in North Georgia.
The Process: Meteorologists review many different computer models each day, including both short‑range and long‑range guidance.
They compare these models with one another and with real‑time radar, satellite, and weather station data across the state.
They then decide which model solutions best match current weather patterns over Georgia and the Southeast.
Only after this review do they release forecasts for specific areas, such as the North Georgia mountains, metro Atlanta, and coastal regions.
How This Affects Real People: Over the next 10 days, the official forecast does not call for measurable snow in metro Atlanta.
Across Georgia, during a La Niña winter pattern, the main concern is cold rain that can freeze into ice, especially in North Georgia, which can create hazardous travel and power issues even when there is little or no snow.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
