Drought in Berrien County, GA: 5.8 years in 10 since 2000

5.8 years in 10

Berrien County, GA: 15 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (44 wk), 2001 (21 wk), 2002 (37 wk), 2007 (39 wk), 2008 (22 wk), 2010 (14 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (30 wk), 2014 (15 wk), 2015 (22 wk), 2017 (16 wk), 2018 (20 wk), 2019 (18 wk), 2022 (15 wk) and 2025 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2020, 2021 and 2024.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Jun peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of GA

1st most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Cook County (5.8 in 10). Least drought: Gilmer County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jun (39% of weeks), then May (38%) and Jan (38%). Least in Sep (23%). May to September averages 31%.

38 Jan
33 Feb
32 Mar
30 Apr
38 May
39 Jun
28 Jul
25 Aug
23 Sep
32 Oct
37 Nov
34 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 32.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 14.7% at D2, 6.5% at D3, 32 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 88 weeks, Oct 19, 2010 to Jun 19, 2012.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 31 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.