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

3.8 years in 10

Houston 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 (33 wk), 2002 (45 wk), 2006 (23 wk), 2007 (36 wk), 2008 (32 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2016 (24 wk) and 2019 (19 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

101st most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Putnam County (3.8 in 10) and Spalding 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 (41% of weeks), then Jul (40%) and Nov (39%). Least in Apr (28%). May to September averages 35%.

32 Jan
32 Feb
32 Mar
28 Apr
38 May
33 Jun
40 Jul
35 Aug
31 Sep
41 Oct
39 Nov
31 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 34.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 19.5% at D2, 9.9% at D3, 61 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 121 weeks, Nov 30, 2010 to Mar 19, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2019, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 30 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.