What should you know about Valdosta's weather?
- NWS office
- Tallahassee (TAE)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical
- Time zone
- EST/EDT
- Elevation
- 221 ft
- Coordinates
- 30.83° N, 83.28° W
- Nearest radar
- KVAX · Moody AFB NEXRAD · 17 mi
- County
- Lowndes County, GA
- Yearly rain
- 48.4 in
- Warmest month
- August · 81.2°F average
- Coldest month
- January · 50.7°F average
- Severe storm peak
- Jun to Aug
How much rain does Valdosta get each month?
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62.8 | 67.0 | 72.9 | 79.6 | 86.4 | 90.1 | 92.1 | 91.5 | 87.8 | 80.5 | 71.4 | 65.0 |
| Low °F | 38.6 | 42.2 | 47.2 | 52.8 | 60.3 | 67.9 | 70.1 | 71.0 | 66.5 | 56.8 | 46.6 | 41.3 |
| Rain (in) | 3.83 | 3.31 | 3.73 | 3.66 | 2.84 | 7.08 | 5.33 | 5.11 | 4.22 | 3.71 | 2.47 | 3.12 |
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62.8 | 38.6 | 3.83 |
| Feb | 67.0 | 42.2 | 3.31 |
| Mar | 72.9 | 47.2 | 3.73 |
| Apr | 79.6 | 52.8 | 3.66 |
| May | 86.4 | 60.3 | 2.84 |
| Jun | 90.1 | 67.9 | 7.08 |
| Jul | 92.1 | 70.1 | 5.33 |
| Aug | 91.5 | 71.0 | 5.11 |
| Sep | 87.8 | 66.5 | 4.22 |
| Oct | 80.5 | 56.8 | 3.71 |
| Nov | 71.4 | 46.6 | 2.47 |
| Dec | 65.0 | 41.3 | 3.12 |
VALDOSTA RGNL AP, GA US · 3 mi away · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020
How hard did Hurricane Helene hit Valdosta in 2024?
Very hard, because NWS Tallahassee says wind gusts of at least 90 to 100 mph spread inland into Lowndes County. Helene made landfall in Taylor County, Florida, shortly after 11 p.m. on September 26 and crossed Taylor and Madison Counties before moving into Lowndes County. A WeatherStem site 5 to 10 nautical miles south-southeast of Valdosta measured a gust of 83 knots. The National Hurricane Center counted 77 injuries in Lowndes County, in and around Valdosta, mainly from trees falling on homes. NWS Tallahassee says Helene's fast forward speed and very large wind field carried hurricane-force gusts much farther inland than is typical.
Why did Hurricane Idalia flood parts of Valdosta in 2023?
Idalia wobbled to the left of its northeast track over Madison and Lowndes counties, which let its northwestern eyewall, where rainfall rates were highest, linger over the area. NWS Tallahassee reported many water rescues in Valdosta, and the soaked ground let trees fall more easily. The Valdosta airport weather station recorded 7.04 inches of rain and a peak gust of 69 knots. A tree knocked down by the wind also killed a man in Valdosta. On radar, an eyewall that slows or drifts sideways over town is the signal that flash flooding is coming.
Has a tornado ever hit Valdosta?
Yes. At 11:26 a.m. on December 29, 2014, a tornado touched down in Valdosta and damaged several buildings at the Langdale Forest Product Company. A survey team rated it EF2 with maximum winds around 120 mph. The Storm Events entry for Lowndes County records 9 injuries from it. It struck in late December, a reminder that tornadoes here are not limited to spring.
Why does the Valdosta weather radar show so much detail?
Because the KVAX radar at Moody AFB sits only about 17 miles from the city center, so its beam passes low over Valdosta. A low beam samples the lower part of storms, where heavy rain cores and small areas of rotation show up best. NWS Tallahassee has used the Moody AFB radar to spot hail, as on April 5, 2009, when it showed reflectivity values of 70 to 75 dBZ over Tifton. The office called values like that indicative of large hail.
Can the Withlacoochee River flood roads near Valdosta?
Yes, and it did in the spring of 2009. Ten days of radar-derived rainfall showed a swath of more than 12 inches reaching into Southeast Georgia, with estimates above 16 inches in the wettest spots. Flooding on the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers forced the closure of U.S. Highways 84 and 90. Downstream at Pinetta, the Withlacoochee topped its 1948 flood of record by 2.66 feet. River crests arrive days after the rain ends, so keep checking river forecasts after the radar clears.
When should you check the Valdosta radar?
Summer storm peak
June to AugustAbout 51% of the county's 1996 to 2025 severe reports fall in these months, and June is the wettest month at 7.08 inches. Drivers on Inner Perimeter Road and North Ashley Street check the loop before heading home in the late afternoon.
Hurricane season
June 1 to November 30Across the Atlantic basin, most activity comes from mid-August to mid-October. Storms that come ashore in the Florida Big Bend can reach Valdosta quickly, so locals finish preparations before the first rain bands appear to the southwest on the loop.
What else do people ask about the Valdosta radar?
Which NWS office and radar cover Valdosta?
NWS Tallahassee (TAE) issues forecasts and warnings for Valdosta. The nearest NEXRAD radar is KVAX, about 17 miles from the city center.
How often does the radar on this page update?
The radar loop on this page updates every 5 minutes.
Is this page an official warning service?
No. It shows radar and forecasts only. For warnings, follow NWS Tallahassee and local emergency alerts.
Quick facts
- Radar: KVAX (Moody AFB NEXRAD), a new frame every 5 minutes
- Forecasts and warnings: NWS Tallahassee (TAE)
- Severe storms peak from June to August (NOAA Storm Events, 1996 to 2025)
- Local time: EST/EDT
- Radar: KVAX, a new frame every 5 minutes
- Warnings: NWS Tallahassee (TAE)
- Severe storms: June to August
- Local time: EST/EDT
Where does this data come from?
- NOAA NEXRAD radar via Iowa Environmental Mesonet
- National Weather Service, Tallahassee office
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020: VALDOSTA RGNL AP, GA US
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2025
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service
- GOES-East satellite imagery
- Open-Meteo forecast API
- OpenStreetMap contributors
- NWS Tallahassee: Hurricane Helene post-tropical cyclone report
- NWS Tallahassee: Hurricane Helene event review
- National Hurricane Center: Hurricane Helene tropical cyclone report
- NWS Tallahassee: Hurricane Idalia event review
- NWS Tallahassee: Hurricane Idalia post-tropical cyclone report
- NWS Tallahassee: The Valdosta tornado of December 29, 2014
- NWS Tallahassee: March and April 2009 record flooding
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology