View of the moon known as Cold Moon, a name that comes from the traditions of Native American peoples, who named the last full moon of the year in honor of the intense cold and long nights that herald the arrival of winter. (Photo by Carlos Santiago/ …
ATLANTA - The last full moon of 2025 may not even be visible on Thursday evening, disappointing stargazers.
When is the full moon?
Timeline:
The Cold Moon is expected to rise at around 5:15 p.m., just a few minutes before sunset in Atlanta. It is forecast to reach peak fullness at about 6:14 p.m. Moonset on Friday morning is scheduled for 7:10 a.m.
What is a Cold Moon?
The backstory:
December’s moon is traditionally called the Cold Moon, marking the arrival of winter and cold weather in the Northern Hemisphere. It is also known as the Long Night Moon.
What is a supermoon?
Dig deeper:
A supermoon occurs when the moon is at or near its closest point to Earth and appears up to 15 percent larger and brighter. The Cold Moon is the last full moon and last supermoon of 2025. It is also the highest full moon of the year and the third supermoon in a row, following October and November.
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Wednesday Night Weather Update
Clouds thru the night with chilly morning lows. Mostly cloud and cool on Thursday with highs in the 40s to near 50. Showers return late Thursday and will last into Friday. Below average temps will linger into the Weekend. Here are the details.
How cold will it be for the Cold Moon?
What we know:
Temperatures in Atlanta will be around 48 degrees at sunset Thursday, according to the FOX 5 Storm Team. Expect them to dip by about three degrees during peak fullness before bottoming out near 42 degrees. The far North Georgia mountains will see temperatures about 5 to 10 degrees cooler.
Will the Cold Moon be seen in Atlanta?
What we don't know:
Clouds will begin rolling in early Thursday morning, with cloudy skies expected to continue until after midnight Friday. The chance of seeing the moon is low. Breaks in the clouds are unlikely, but look toward the eastern horizon to see whether any light manages to shine through.
"If you happen to catch a glimpse, you'll be one of the lucky few," said FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Alex Forbed. "Rain will start by sunrise Friday."
Rain moves into Atlanta
What's next:
After midnight Friday, rain will move into metro Atlanta, with showers expected through the first half of the morning commute.
The Source: The details in this article come from NASA and the National Weather Service. FOX 5 Storm Team original forecasting was also used, as were previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports.