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

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (44 wk), 2001 (20 wk), 2002 (24 wk), 2007 (33 wk), 2008 (16 wk), 2010 (13 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (30 wk), 2015 (16 wk), 2017 (15 wk), 2018 (20 wk), 2019 (14 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2020, 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 Jan peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of GA

19th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Decatur County (5 in 10) and Clayton County (4.6 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 Jan (36% of weeks), then May (36%) and Jun (33%). Least in Oct (19%). May to September averages 28%.

36 Jan
31 Feb
28 Mar
30 Apr
36 May
33 Jun
27 Jul
24 Aug
23 Sep
19 Oct
31 Nov
33 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 29.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 15.4% at D2, 5.1% at D3, 22 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 87 weeks, Oct 26, 2010 to Jun 19, 2012.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 39 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.