Drought in Effingham County, GA: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

Effingham County, GA: 11 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (44 wk), 2001 (36 wk), 2002 (49 wk), 2007 (23 wk), 2011 (46 wk), 2012 (35 wk), 2015 (13 wk), 2018 (23 wk), 2019 (17 wk), 2022 (23 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2014, 2016, 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 May peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of GA

84th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Calhoun County (4.2 in 10) and Wilcox County (4.2 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 May (40% of weeks), then Apr (40%) and Jul (35%). Least in Sep (22%). May to September averages 31%.

26 Jan
25 Feb
34 Mar
40 Apr
40 May
32 Jun
35 Jul
27 Aug
22 Sep
28 Oct
30 Nov
29 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 49 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 30.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 13.9% at D2, 6.7% at D3, 18 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 65 weeks, Mar 22, 2011 to Jun 12, 2012.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.