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

3.8 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (51 wk), 2001 (39 wk), 2002 (35 wk), 2006 (17 wk), 2007 (38 wk), 2008 (53 wk), 2009 (18 wk), 2016 (36 wk), 2017 (18 wk) and 2024 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2021.

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

Against the rest of GA

117th most drought-prone of 159 GA counties; the GA middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Jenkins County (3.8 in 10) and Telfair 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 Jul (38% of weeks), then Nov (34%) and Oct (33%). Least in Feb (23%). May to September averages 30%.

27 Jan
23 Feb
25 Mar
31 Apr
27 May
27 Jun
38 Jul
27 Aug
32 Sep
33 Oct
34 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2008

2008: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 29.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 17.8% at D2, 8.3% at D3, 44 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 107 weeks, Apr 24, 2007 to May 5, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 38 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.