Drought in Burke County, GA: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Burke County, GA: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (35 wk), 2002 (50 wk), 2007 (24 wk), 2008 (35 wk), 2011 (46 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2019 (13 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2020 and 2023.

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 Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

This is one step drier than the yearly count alone suggests, because 27% of growing-season weeks here were in drought.

Against the rest of GA

136th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Dodge County (3.5 in 10) and Dawson County (3.5 in 10). Driest in GA: Berrien County (5.8 in 10). Least drought: Gilmer County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (38% of weeks), then Nov (38%) and May (35%). Least in Jul (19%). May to September averages 27%.

29 Jan
28 Feb
27 Mar
28 Apr
35 May
24 Jun
19 Jul
28 Aug
28 Sep
38 Oct
38 Nov
35 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 29.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 15.1% at D2, 7.6% at D3, 41 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 104 weeks, Mar 22, 2011 to Mar 12, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 16 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.