Atlanta, Georgia Latitude: What It Is and Why It Matters If You Live or Visit Here

Atlanta isn’t just the capital of Georgia—its latitude also shapes everything from our daylight hours to how hot the summers feel. If you live in Atlanta, are planning a visit, or just want to understand the city better, knowing where Atlanta sits on the map can actually explain a lot about daily life here.

Atlanta’s Exact Latitude (and What That Means)

Atlanta, Georgia is located at approximately:

• Latitude:33.7490° North
• Longitude:84.3880° West

When people say “Atlanta, Georgia latitude,” they almost always mean 33.7° to 33.8° North. This places Atlanta in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, well above the equator but far below places like New York, Chicago, or Boston.

Quick Latitude Snapshot for Atlanta

Even within the Atlanta metro area, latitude only shifts slightly, but that small change generally isn’t enough for most people to notice major differences in weather or daylight from one side of town to the other.

Why Latitude Matters in Atlanta

Latitude isn’t just a number on a GPS screen. In Atlanta, it quietly influences:

• Daylight hours across the year
• Sunrise and sunset times
• Seasonal temperatures and humidity
• Gardening and landscaping choices
• Solar panel positioning and efficiency
• Flight paths and navigation

If you’ve ever wondered why Atlanta summers feel long and bright or why winter days feel short but not as brutal as northern states, latitude is a big part of the answer.

Daylight in Atlanta: How Latitude Shapes Your Days

Because Atlanta sits around 34° North, its daylight pattern is very typical of the U.S. Southeast.

General Daylight Pattern in Atlanta

• Summer (around late June)

  • Long days, with early sunrises and late sunsets
  • Great for evening activities at places like Piedmont Park or the Atlanta BeltLine

• Winter (around late December)

  • Shorter days, with later sunrises and early sunsets
  • You’ll notice it’s dark during both morning and evening commutes

• Spring and Fall

  • More balanced daylight, often considered the most comfortable seasons for outdoor events in Atlanta

Because Atlanta is not extremely far north, it doesn’t experience phenomena like the midnight sun or full days of darkness, but you will notice a clear difference between summer and winter daylight.

How Atlanta’s Latitude Affects Its Climate

Atlanta’s latitude helps place it in a humid subtropical climate zone. Combined with its elevation (around 1,000 feet above sea level in much of the city), this leads to:

• Hot, humid summers
• Mild to cool winters
• Spring and fall with comfortable temperatures and frequent rain

Latitude + Elevation = “Hot, but not Florida hot”

Atlanta is:

• Farther north than cities like Orlando or Miami
• Farther south than cities like Washington, D.C. or New York

This middle position means Atlanta gets plenty of heat and humidity, but not quite the tropical feel of South Florida. At the same time, winters are usually warmer and shorter than those in much of the northern U.S.

Navigating Atlanta: Using Latitude in Everyday Life

Most residents don’t think about latitude directly, but it quietly powers a lot of the tools and systems they use.

GPS, Directions, and Maps

When you use a navigation app to reach:

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
• Georgia State Capitol
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• or an address in Midtown or Buckhead

those systems are using latitude and longitude behind the scenes. Atlanta’s approximate 33.749° N latitude is part of how GPS determines your precise location and route.

City Planning and Infrastructure

Local planners and engineers consider Atlanta’s latitude and sun angle when:

• Designing building orientation and window placement
• Planning shading, tree cover, and public spaces
• Evaluating where solar technologies can be most effective

While you won’t see “33.7° N” on a zoning sign, that geographic position influences planning decisions all across the city.

Gardening, Landscaping, and Agriculture Around Atlanta

If you’re gardening in Atlanta or maintaining a yard, latitude matters more than you might expect.

Growing Conditions at Atlanta’s Latitude

Atlanta’s combination of latitude and climate creates conditions suitable for:

• Many warm-season plants and grasses
• Long growing seasons compared with farther north
• Vegetation that can handle both heat and occasional winter frost

Common yard and garden plants in the Atlanta area often reflect this balance—able to thrive in long, warm summers while surviving occasional winter cold snaps.

Gardening Support in the Atlanta Area

Residents who want latitude-appropriate planting advice often turn to regional resources, classes, and local nurseries that understand Atlanta’s specific climate and sun patterns. When planning your garden, it helps to consider:

• How many hours of direct sunlight your yard receives
• The sun’s angle at different times of year (higher in summer, lower in winter)
• Whether tall buildings or trees alter sun exposure despite the overall latitude

Solar Panels and Sun Angle in Atlanta

For Atlanta homeowners and businesses considering solar panels, latitude is a key factor.

Why Latitude Matters for Solar in Atlanta

Because Atlanta is around 34° North, the optimal tilt angle for fixed solar panels is often close to that number, though installers may adjust the angle depending on goals (maximum annual output, winter performance, etc.).

In general, in the Atlanta area:

• The sun is higher in the sky in summer, so panels can collect strong solar energy for many hours a day
• Winter sun is lower, so panel angle and placement matter to avoid shading and maximize performance

Local solar installers typically factor Atlanta’s exact latitude into their design recommendations, roof assessments, and energy estimates.

Air Travel and Atlanta’s Latitude

With Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport being one of the busiest in the world, latitude also shows up in aviation.

Pilots and flight planners use latitude and longitude to:

• Plot flight paths into and out of Atlanta
• Coordinate with air traffic control on approach and departure routes
• Align navigational systems and waypoints across different regions and countries

While you as a passenger won’t need to say “33.749° N,” that coordinate is baked into the airport’s location in virtually every navigation database.

Comparing Atlanta’s Latitude to Other U.S. Cities

To understand Atlanta’s position better, it helps to compare it to cities you might know.

• Atlanta is farther south than:

  • Washington, D.C.
  • New York City
  • Chicago

• Atlanta is farther north than:

  • Orlando and Miami in Florida
  • Houston in Texas (slightly)
  • Much of the Gulf Coast

This explains why:

• Winters in Atlanta are milder than in many northern cities
• Summers are long, warm, and humid, but not as tropical as South Florida
• Spring arrives earlier than in much of the Northeast and Midwest

Latitude and Time in Atlanta: Time Zone vs. Position

Atlanta’s latitude is north-south, while longitude (about 84.388° W) is east-west and connects more directly to time zones. Even so, someone in Atlanta will notice that:

• Sunrise and sunset times differ from cities in other time zones at similar latitudes
• Within the Eastern Time Zone, Atlanta’s position can shift sunrise/sunset slightly earlier or later than cities farther east or west

If you compare Atlanta’s daylight to a city at a similar latitude but in a different time zone, the clock time won’t match up, even if the sun angle is similar.

How to Use Atlanta’s Latitude in Practical Ways

You rarely need to remember “33.749° N” exactly, but knowing Atlanta’s latitude is useful when:

• Adjusting satellite dishes or antennae
• Configuring certain solar, navigation, or weather devices
• Using detailed mapping or surveying tools
• Exploring educational projects with students about geography and climate

For everyday residents and visitors, you can think of Atlanta as:

• A mid-latitude city
• With humid subtropical conditions
• Experiencing noticeable but moderate seasonal daylight changes

That simple understanding is usually enough to make sense of Atlanta’s weather patterns, daylight, and outdoor living throughout the year.

Living in or visiting Atlanta means experiencing life at about 34 degrees north of the equator. That single number—Atlanta’s latitude—quietly shapes the city’s seasons, sunshine, and even how you experience a walk through your neighborhood or a summer evening downtown.