Spatiotemporal Climatology of Georgia Tropical Cyclones and Associated Rainfall

Tropical cyclones (TCs), often characterized by high wind speeds and heavy rainfall, cause widespread devastation, affecting millions of people and leading to economic losses worldwide. TC-specific research in Georgia is scarce, likely due to the minimal geographical extent of its coast and the infrequency of direct landfalls. Research on Georgia TCs does not account for storms that make landfall in other southeastern states (e.g. Florida) and continue north, northeast, or northwest into Georgia. This study uses the North Atlantic Basin hurricane database (HURDAT2) to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns of direct and indirect landfalling Georgia tropical cyclones (>16 ms−1) from
1851-2021. TC-induced rainfall is also quantified using rainfall data (nClimGrid-Daily and nClimGrid) from 1951-2021 to estimate the proportion of Georgia’s total annual and monthly rainfall attributed to
TCs. A multi-methodological approach, incorporating statistics and mapping, is employed to assess
the trends of Georgia’s tropical cyclones and the associated rainfall. The study analyzed 113 TCs and
found, on average, less than one TC annually (x=0.66) traverses the state. September averaged the highest percentage (25%) of TC-induced rainfall, followed by October (14%), and August (13%). This pattern aligns with the TC season, with the highest frequency of TCs occurring in September (n=35), followed by August (n=25), and October (n=18). We find 10% of tropical storms make landfall on the coastline, while the remaining 91% enter Georgia by making landfall in Florida (92%), Louisiana (7%), or South Carolina (1%) first. A threat of TCs during the peak of the season emphasizes the importance of heightened awareness, increased planning practices, and resource allocation during these periods to protect Georgia’s history, natural beauty, and its residents.