Drought in Haralson County, GA: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (23 wk), 2002 (26 wk), 2006 (19 wk), 2007 (40 wk), 2008 (50 wk), 2010 (16 wk), 2011 (36 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2016 (34 wk), 2017 (20 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

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

Against the rest of GA

17th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Irwin County (5 in 10) and Decatur County (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 Nov (38% of weeks), then Oct (38%) and Sep (36%). Least in Apr (18%). May to September averages 31%.

34 Jan
24 Feb
26 Mar
18 Apr
28 May
26 Jun
33 Jul
30 Aug
36 Sep
38 Oct
38 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 30.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 16.6% at D2, 7.6% at D3, 48 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 90 weeks, Mar 27, 2007 to Dec 9, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 18 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.