Ice dam risk in Athens-Clarke County, GA
How often ice dams form in Athens-Clarke County
0.0 dam days a winter
Almost never. An ordinary house in Athens-Clarke County sees 0.0 days a winter when an ice dam can form, because snow rarely stays on a roof long enough below freezing.
Athens-Clarke County averages 1 inch of snow a year and about 0 days with snow on the ground. Too little lies on the roof for long. The conditions that make a dam need all three at once: snow, cold at the eave and heat above it.
Do you need to do anything in Athens-Clarke County?
- Nothing for ice dams. If you are buying here and an inspector mentions water at the eaves, ask what they saw: it is far more likely a gutter, flashing or drip-edge problem than ice.
Snowy places are not always the worst: why snowfall misleads.
Athens-Clarke County winter, month by month
| Month | Snow (in) | Days on ground | Dam days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| February | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
Athens-Clarke County next to nearby towns
Athens-Clarke County ranks 33 of 101 Georgia cities here for ice-dam days, behind Sandy Springs at 0.2 days.
- Jefferson, GA 19 mi, 0.0 days
- Winder, GA 20 mi, 0.0 days
- Monroe, GA 23 mi, 0.0 days
- Auburn, GA 27 mi, 0.0 days
- Braselton, GA 28 mi, 0.0 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Winterville, 4.7 miles from Athens-Clarke County. A dam day is a day with snow on the roof and freezing at the eave while heat or sun melts the snow above it. This describes a normal winter, not this one.