Straight from the Archives: The 50th Anniversary of the 1973 Great Southeastern Snowstorm

Central Georgia isn't used to being a winter wonderland, but 50 years ago, that was precisely what residents stepped out into. This week we step back in time for a look inside the 13WMAZ archives to remember one of the most significant snowstorms in the state's history. 

February 9 marks the anniversary of the 1973 Great Southeastern Snowstorm, one of the southeast's biggest snowstorms in recorded history.

The storm set an all-time high for cities across Georgia and South Carolina for snowfall. The highest snow total was observed in Thomaston, where 19.3 inches was recorded. 

The storm produced a 50-mile-wide swath of over a foot of snow across Central Georgia, including a record 16.5 inches in Macon.

The heaviest snow fell over Upson, Monroe, Crawford and Taylor Counties, where totals exceeded a foot and a half. 

Cars were buried entirely, and people built full-sized snowmen and played in a foot or more of the white stuff. 

But how did the record-breaking snowstorm happen? 

A strong cold front came through the southeast, bringing in chilly winter air on Feb. 8, 1973. 

The front cleared the state of Georgia before stalling over the Gulf of Mexico on the 9th. As the front slowed, the spiraling winds on the sides of the front created an area of low pressure in the Gulf. 

As the low strengthened, additional cold air was pulled across the southeast, and ice and snow began to fall. There were isolated reports of up to three inches in Louisiana and Mississippi. 

On Feb. 10, the storm strengthened as it approached the Florida gulf coast. This brought moderate to heavy snowfall across Central Georgia, and thunder snow was observed in Augusta. 

The low moved east of the North Carolina coastline, and the snow tapered off across Georgia by that night. But what was left behind was a historic snowfall that will not soon be forgotten. 

There's so much more history to share from the 13WMAZ archives.

Check out the photos we have from past snows in Central Georgia.

Be sure to visit 13WMAZ on YouTube and watch our Straight from the Archives playlist, which will be updated twice weekly.