February 18–19, 1979 Presidents' Day Snowstorm in Georgia

The Presidents' Day Snowstorm of 1979 (also known as the Presidents' Day Blizzard) was a major winter storm that impacted the Southeast U.S., including Georgia, as part of a classic Miller Type A nor'easter. It brought heavy snow and cold temperatures to north/central Georgia, with lesser effects south. Below are the details, impacts, and notes of interest.

Date: February 18–19, 1979 (main snowfall overnight Feb 18 into morning Feb 19).
Type: Miller Type A nor'easter — low formed in the Gulf of Mexico, tracked up the Atlantic coast, and intensified offshore.
Weather Conditions: Heavy snow with sleet/ice mix in central Georgia; temperatures 20–30 °F during the storm; winds 15–25 mph gusting 35 mph, causing blowing snow.
Snowfall Totals: Atlanta (KATL official): ~4.0 inches.
North/central Georgia (e.g., Athens, Gainesville): 3–6 inches.
North GA mountains (e.g., Blairsville, Dahlonega): 6–12 inches, with upslope enhancement.
South Georgia (e.g., Macon, Augusta): 1–3 inches snow/sleet; trace ice.
Precipitation Type: Primarily snow in north GA, transitioning to sleet/ice mix in central/south areas.

Impacts in Georgia

Power Outages: Widespread outages affecting 50,000–100,000 customers (ice accumulation 0.25–0.5 inches in some areas caused tree limbs to snap on lines); rural north GA saw multi-day disruptions.
Transportation: Major gridlock on interstates (I-85, I-75); hundreds of accidents; airports (Atlanta Hartsfield) closed for hours; school and business closures for 1–3 days statewide.
Tree & Infrastructure Damage Moderate tree limb damage from snow/ice weight; some roof collapses on older buildings; power poles leaned or snapped in north GA.
Economic Cost: Estimated $50–100 million (cleanup, lost business, agriculture damage from cold snap following the storm).
Casualties / Injuries: 5–10 deaths (hypothermia, accidents); dozens injured from slips/falls and vehicle crashes.
Duration: Impacts lasted 3–5 days; full cleanup took weeks in north GA.

Notes of Interest

Historical Rank: One of the top-10 snow events in Atlanta history (4.0 inches); part of a top-5 coldest February on record for Georgia (mean anomaly –7.7 °F).
Regional Extent: The storm affected a broad swath from Georgia to New England; Washington D.C. got 18–20 inches, making it the "Presidents' Day Blizzard" nationally.
Teleconnections: Driven by a strongly negative AO/NAO and cold air damming (CAD) wedge, amplifying snow in north GA; the coastal low intensified to 980 mb offshore.
Comparison to Recent Events: Similar to 1993 Storm of the Century (Type A), but milder; no major Georgia snow/ice event has matched it since 2011 (Type B).
Rarity: Miller Type A storms are infrequent in Georgia (every 5–10 years); this was one of the last big ones before climate trends reduced frequency.

Bottom line: Yes, the February 18-19, 1979 Presidents' Day storm was a Miller Type A storm is one of the classic coastal nor'easters to bring heavy snow to Georgia.