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October 29, 2020
Remnants of Hurricane Zeta

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The October 29, 2020 Tropical Storm Zeta event in Georgia involved the remnants of Hurricane Zeta, which made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 3 hurricane (peak winds 115 mph) on October 28 before rapidly weakening and accelerating northeastward as a tropical storm/post-tropical cyclone. It crossed northern and central Georgia during the early morning hours of Thursday, October 29, moving at a fast forward speed (often 25-40 mph), bringing strong, gusty winds and moderate rainfall but minimal tornado activity.

The primary impacts were concentrated in north and central Georgia, especially the Metro Atlanta area and surrounding counties, as the system raced through in just a few hours. northeastward, producing heavy rainfall, localized flash flooding, and an unusual outbreak of tornadoes embedded in the tropical moisture.

Hurricane Zeta made landfall late in the afternoon on October 28, 2020 along the eastern Louisiana coast, bringing widespread damage to that portion of the coast. After landfall, Zeta rapidly moved northeastward, bringing damaging winds and rainfall to portions of west central and northern Georgia in the early morning hours of October 29, 2020. Sustained winds of 20 to 35 mph were felt across the area with widespread gusts of 40 to 60 mph and isolated gusts over 60 mph. The heaviest of the rainfall fell across portions of northern Georgia where areas received between 1.5 to 4 inches with some locally higher amounts across the northeast. Due to the strong winds and rainfall overnight, numerous trees and power lines were downed across most of north and portions of central Georgia, leading to widespread property damage and power outages.

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Key Highlights

• Wind Impacts (Main Threat):
  • Widespread damaging winds: Sustained 20-35 mph with gusts commonly 40-60 mph; isolated gusts over 60 mph near the GA/AL border and in north Georgia.
  • Extensive tree falls: (many large oaks/uprooted), power line damage, and structural issues (e.g., trees crushing mobile homes, roofs, and vehicles).
  • Notable fatalities: At least 3 deaths in Georgia directly attributed to the storm—1 in Acworth (Cherokee County: tree fell on mobile home, killing 1 man; 2 others unharmed), and 2 in Buford (Gwinnett County: tree fell on house).
  • Power outages: Nearly 1 million customers lost power in Metro Atlanta overnight/early morning; outages lingered for days in some areas (thousands still without power 4+ days later), affecting traffic signals, roadways, and even some 2020 election polling sites (leading to emergency relocations).
  • Blocked roads/interstates: Downed trees/power lines on I-20, I-985, and numerous local roads; debris (tree limbs, signs) scattered.
• Rainfall and Flooding:
  • Generally 1.5-4 inches across north/central Georgia (higher in spots); quick movement prevented major widespread flooding.
  • Localized ponding, minor flash flooding, and some washed-out roads, but no catastrophic flooding like in other systems.
• Tornado Activity:
  • Tornado watches issued (extending into southwest Georgia), but no confirmed significant tornadoes in Georgia from Zeta (unlike some prior tropical remnants).
  • Any spin-ups were brief/weak or unconfirmed; focus remained on straight-line wind damage.
• Other Impacts:
  • Scattered reports of minor structural damage (e.g., roofs partially torn, homes hit by falling trees).
  • No widespread tropical-storm-force sustained winds in most areas, but gusts caused the bulk of issues.
• Context:
  • Zeta was a late-season, rapidly intensifying storm (unusual for October) and one of the fastest-moving post-landfall systems on record.
  • In Georgia, it became one of the top 5 costliest tropical cyclones in state history, with damages estimated at ~$1.1 billion (primarily from wind/power/tree damage in the densely populated Atlanta metro).
  • This followed other 2020 tropical impacts in Georgia (e.g., remnants of Delta on Oct 11, Sally in September), contributing to a very active year.

Recovery focused on power restoration and tree/debris cleanup, with many areas back to normal within days to a week. In north Georgia, tree/power issues were common and always a reminder how fast-moving systems can still pack a punch with winds alone!

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