Drought in Hancock County, GA: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Hancock County, GA: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (37 wk), 2002 (50 wk), 2006 (21 wk), 2007 (36 wk), 2008 (50 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (14 wk) and 2016 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2014, 2020, 2021 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.

Against the rest of GA

104th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Clarke County (3.8 in 10) and Pike County (3.8 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 (44% of weeks), then Nov (43%) and Dec (36%). Least in Jul (28%). May to September averages 33%.

33 Jan
31 Feb
32 Mar
30 Apr
34 May
34 Jun
28 Jul
33 Aug
34 Sep
44 Oct
43 Nov
36 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 34.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 20.3% at D2, 11.6% at D3, 71 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 124 weeks, Nov 23, 2010 to Apr 2, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2016, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 26 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.