A long pollen cycle and a long cooling season
Metro Atlanta runs a long pollen cycle that typically starts in late winter and peaks with tree pollen in spring, followed by grass pollen in summer and ragweed in fall. Summers are hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms that bring wind, falling limbs, and water intrusion. Occasional winter ice events disrupt power and travel, so a system that has coasted through a mild stretch gets tested twice a year rather than once.